Allegations of sexual misconduct and grooming against David Walliams have led to a call by Britain’s culture secretary to make it easier to report concerns about the behaviour of powerful celebrities.
The best-selling author and former Britain’s Got Talent judge was named as part of an investigation by the Guardian and ITV News involving accusations of grooming teenage girls and abusing his position to pursue women.
UK culture secretary Lisa Nandy said the claims were the “latest in a long line of reported abuses of power”.
Walliams (55), has denied any wrongdoing and unsuccessfully tried to obtain an injunction to prevent the reporting of allegations against him.
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He is yet to comment further since the publication of his name on Tuesday.
[ David Walliams accused of using celebrity status to prey on young women for sexOpens in new window ]
Nandy said she would be meeting senior media and entertainment industry members to “draw a line in the sand”.
She added: “We must finally take meaningful steps to end abuse and harassment in sectors where the power imbalances are huge and careers are built on contacts and reputation.”
The culture secretary’s comments also came the same week comedian Russell Brand was sentenced to 10-and-a-half-years for rape and sexual assault.
She previously called for greater protections in the media industry following Brand’s conviction.
In a letter understood to have been sent months ago by Walliams to journalists working on the investigations, he denied being a “sexual predator”.
The television personality said while he “behaved thoughtlessly” at times and regretted not taking people’s feelings “properly into account”, he had not broken the law.
The letter said: “Whilst a power imbalance is inevitable when one party is famous, abusing that power is something else entirely and it is something that I never did.”
Walliams sought the court injunction over concerns he would take his own life, after two previous suicide attempts.
Judge Matthew Nicklin refused the bid for an injunction, ruling it would be an “exceptionally serious interference” with freedom of expression.
Presenter Jonathan Ross said he was “horrified” by the allegations about Walliams and the crimes of Brand, adding that he was “genuinely unaware of their conduct”.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed it contacted the Guardian and ITV News to “ensure that any potential victims” are “made aware of how they could report any criminal allegations to police”, after the sexual misconduct claims were made.
After the allegations emerged on Tuesday, he was also dropped by his literary agency, Independent Talent Group, and the BBC began removing his shows, including Little Britain, from iPlayer.
Walliams had his Labour Party membership suspended and Downing Street described the allegations as “deeply troubling”. – PA
