London police have opened a sexual offence investigation into David Walliams, who denies wrongdoing. The investigation follows reports by ITV News and The Guardian that several women accused him of sexual misconduct, according to Al Jazeera.
The Metropolitan Police said on Friday it had received a number of allegations of non-recent serious sexual offences involving a man now in his 50s. The force said these were separate from those reported by ITV News and The Guardian. Its statement does not name Walliams, and the link to him comes from media reporting. No charges or arrests have been reported.
The reports, published on Tuesday, said allegations dated back as far as 2003. According to Al Jazeera, The Guardian and ITV spoke to more than 100 people during a three-year investigation. One woman said Walliams sexually assaulted her at his London home when she was 15.
The BBC said it had taken down some shows involving Walliams, including all episodes of Little Britain, according to Al Jazeera. In a letter to ITV and The Guardian, Walliams said: "I am not a sexual predator … I have not broken the law." His literary agency, Independent Talent Group, said it was "no longer representing him in any capacity."
Walliams earlier lost a High Court bid to stop the outlets naming him. Judge Matthew Nicklin said an injunction would be "an exceptionally serious interference" with media rights. HarperCollins dropped Walliams last year after accusations that he harassed female staff, which he also denied, according to Al Jazeera.
The reports came a day after comedian Russell Brand was sentenced to more than 10 years in jail for rape and sexual assault, according to Al Jazeera.
The Met investigation continues, and police have urged anyone affected to come forward. DW reports that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is expected to meet entertainment industry leaders next week and warn that the government could intervene over whistleblower protection. No other source confirms this. Neither Walliams nor his lawyer has responded to the investigation, according to DW, and the number of new allegations has not been stated.
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This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.