David Walliams Unmasked as Celebrity Behind Sexual Assault Case Injunction After High Court Battle

David Walliams has been named as the celebrity at the centre of a High Court injunction battle, after a judge refused to block publication of allegations made by dozens of women — including claims he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl.

The comedian and children's author, who had fought to keep his identity secret under the court pseudonym "PPT", lost his bid to prevent ITV News and The Guardian from naming him after Mr Justice Nicklin dismissed his claim. Walliams chose not to appeal, allowing reporting restrictions to be lifted.

A joint three-year investigation by ITV News and The Guardian details a pattern of alleged misconduct stretching back to 2003. Several women have accused Walliams of grooming them when they were teenagers.

One woman, named only as Jade, alleged that Walliams contacted her when she was 15 before assaulting her at his house. "It's a sexual assault. It's a grooming. It's completely wrong in every way," she said. Another woman, known as Alex, alleged she had sex with Walliams when she was 17, adding: "I think I was groomed. 100 per cent."

Court documents revealed Walliams was accused of abusing his "power and status as a well-known public figure in order to establish contact with young women and engage, and/or seek to engage in inappropriate sexual activity, including potential criminal activity." He is also accused of inappropriate conduct and sexual harassment on the set of Britain's Got Talent and at publisher HarperCollins.

Walliams has strenuously denied all allegations, including any criminal activity. In a statement issued to The Guardian and ITV News, he said:

He added: "Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with… And 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."

During the injunction proceedings, Walliams' legal team told a judge that it was feared he would take his own life in the event of publication, arguing this would breach his right to life. Lawyers for ITN and The Guardian argued that his mental health concerns should be addressed by medical professionals rather than by silencing the press.

The fallout for Walliams' publishing career has been significant. HarperCollins had already announced it would not publish any new titles by the author, and has since confirmed it will phase out existing stock of his backlist, including e-book and audio versions. The publisher previously told The Telegraph: "After careful consideration, and under the leadership of its new CEO, HarperCollins UK has decided not to publish any new titles by David Walliams."

HarperCollins has published all 23 of Walliams' children's books, beginning with The Boy in the Dress in 2008. His titles — which include Mr Stink, Gangsta Granny and Ratburger — have sold over 60 million copies worldwide, with six adapted for television. Those titles have since disappeared from the HarperCollins website, along with his author page.

An earlier Telegraph investigation had reported that a complaint from a junior colleague about his conduct led to other staff members being interviewed. Former employees alleged they were advised not to visit his home and to work in pairs when meeting with him. Walliams denied those allegations, with a spokesperson stating he had never been informed of any investigation by HarperCollins and was not given an opportunity to answer questions.

Downing Street described the allegations as "deeply troubling." The Prime Minister's official spokesman said the Government would "doubtless respond to them during the course of the day," while noting they had not yet seen the full extent of the reporting.

The revelations come days after fellow comedian Russell Brand was sentenced to ten years and six months in jail for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others between 2004 and 2009. Walliams and Brand appeared on comedy shows together several times during the 2000s and 2010s.

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