Met Police probe David Walliams, following misconduct allegations
London police launched a sexual offenses investigation into British actor and comedian David Walliams on Friday following allegations of misconduct spanning more than two decades.
According to the Metropolitan Police, multiple complaints regarding historical serious sexual offenses involving a male individual currently in his 50s have been logged. The investigation follows an hourlong video documentary entitled “David Walliams: Power and Silence,” produced by British outlets ITV News and The Guardian, which reported that Walliams misused his power and celebrity status to prey on women and girls.
The documentary detailed an account from a woman who said she was sexually assaulted by Walliams when she was 15 years old. The reporting also highlighted allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct regarding the television program “Britain’s Got Talent,” where Walliams served as a judge, and his book publisher HarperCollins.
“We would encourage anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offense to come forward and speak to us, no matter when it happened,” said Detective Mike Cagney, who is in charge of the Met Police investigation.
Authorities said that their ongoing inquiry stems from separate grievances concerning Walliams that do not overlap with the incidents published by the two media organizations.
Walliams recently lost a High Court bid to block the publication of sexual misconduct allegations against him. Neither Walliams nor his lawyer have responded to the Metropolitan Police investigation.
However, Walliams responded previously to the joint report by ITV and The Guardian through a letter.
“I am devastated that some of the women I met 10 to 20 years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me,” Walliams told the outlets in a letter.
“Whilst a power imbalance is inevitable when one party is famous, abusing that power is something else entirely and it is something I never did,” Walliams said.
The allegations have already impacted his career. The BBC removed content featuring Walliams from its platforms, including the comedy sketch show “Little Britain.” Book publisher HarperCollins UK dropped Walliams last year following a report by The Telegraph newspaper regarding inappropriate behavior towards women at the firm.
“The media industry will need to look at itself and ensure whether it is taking all the steps needed to protect the safety of woman and girls who work within the industry,” British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Thursday.
British Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is scheduled to meet with entertainment industry leaders next week to deliver a warning that the UK government could intervene if organizations fail to protect whistleblowers who report sexual assault and misconduct.
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