Overview
- A joint investigation by The Guardian and ITV published on Tuesday named David Walliams in allegations that include grooming and sexual assault, prompting the Metropolitan Police to open a criminal inquiry into alleged non‑recent serious sexual offences.
- Broadcasters and partners have responded quickly by removing or reviewing content that features Walliams, with the BBC taking down the 2012 animation Room on the Broom from iPlayer and pulling other programmes while it conducts a review.
- Sky has informed producers it will exit as UK and Ireland licensee of the film Fing! and said it has removed Walliams‑fronted material from its services, while Channel 4 has also removed episodes that included him.
- Walliams has denied abusing his power and said he sometimes behaved 'thoughtlessly' in the past, but he has not been charged and the criminal investigation remains under way.
- The developments follow a failed High Court attempt by Walliams to block publication and continue a pattern of professional consequences after publishers and partners severed ties in earlier years, raising wider questions about how platforms balance reputational safeguards with public access to archived work.