David Walliams Speaks Out on Allegations: ‘I Am Not a Sexual Predator’

Walliams responds to allegations

In a statement published Tuesday morning, Walliams said he had sometimes acted thoughtlessly toward people with whom he had casual sexual relationships. He said he regretted that behavior.

Walliams said fame creates an inevitable power imbalance, but denied abusing that power. He also said he had not broken the law and was devastated that women he met 10 to 20 years ago had expressed hurt or anger.

Women describe alleged encounters

One woman said she met him at a fan event while aspiring to be a comedy writer and he was a 32-year-old star of the BBC sketch show Little Britain. She alleged he called her “a very attractive lady” and that they spoke by phone and email over the next two years. The other woman alleged that Walliams invited her to his home and initiated sexual contact weeks after they first met. She said he agreed to stop, but told her they “should wait until [she was] 16 and … keep in contact.”

Court bid to keep name private

Walliams went to the London High Court last month seeking to prevent his name from being revealed. The court refused his bid. In October, his lawyer said the celebrity had attempted suicide twice as a result of the matters and had been hospitalized for months. Media organizations argued that the hospital had an obligation to keep him safe and said alleged victims had experienced trauma and mental health crises.