Newspaper headlines: police launch investigation as Walliams, Piddington asylum betrayal dominates coverage

Police probe Walliams allegations

Several newspapers lead with the Metropolitan Police investigation into David Walliams. The force said it was examining allegations of non-recent serious sexual offences that are distinct from claims reported earlier by ITV News and the Guardian.

Detectives are also reviewing that earlier coverage to see whether it provides evidence of offences, police said. Walliams previously rejected the claims, saying he was not a sexual predator and had not broken the law.

Plans near Piddington disputed

The government said it would keep engaging with the community and that no final decision about the site had been reached. The Express frames the dispute as a betrayal, reflecting opposition to the plans.

Other stories across the papers

The Guardian reports that Reform UK paid for Nigel Farage’s security despite a claim that a £5m donation from a party donor in 2024 would cover it. Reform’s spokesperson said the party does not comment on security matters as standard practice.

The i Paper says deputy leader Tice contacted the Bank of England about crypto after a reported £9m donation. It notes there is no suggestion the donor asked him to intervene or that Tice acted for him; Tice says his position supports financial deregulation.

Entertainment and public affairs

The Sun carries Noel Fielding’s response to Russell Brand’s sentence of more than 10 years for rape and sexual assault. Fielding said he regretted some jokes he made with Brand, was unaware of Brand’s crimes and had not been in contact with him for years.

Other coverage includes Laura Trott’s call for schools to restrict screen time and David Cameron’s appeal for wider NHS access to breakthrough Alzheimer’s treatments. The Financial Times reports that Nvidia’s board approached Arm chief Rene Haas about succeeding Jensen Huang.