The actor, who denies any wrongdoing, had tried to get a High Court injunction banning ITN and The Guardian from publishing the claims against him.

However, his attempt to prevent the allegations from being reported was rejected last week and he subsequently failed to lodge an appeal before the deadline at 4.30pm on Monday.

After the claims came to light, the BBC confirmed it had removed Little Britain from its streaming platform and had launched a review into all content featuring Walliams.

A spokesman for the corporation said: “These are serious allegations. As such, the BBC is looking carefully at all material featuring and written by David Walliams on our platforms.

“We are in the process of removing some programmes, including Little Britain, whilst this review is underway.”

Little Britain was created by Walliams and Matt Lucas, starting out as a sketch show on BBC Radio 4 in 2000.

Becoming a hit television series in 2003, the show satirised British society and poked fun at Britons from all walks of life through exaggerated characters and parodies.

Following today’s revelations, bookseller Waterstones has confirmed it will return the “small number of copies” of books written by Walliams back to his publisher, HarperCollins.

The retailer released a statement on Thursday afternoon, insisting it had not been aware of the claims made against him.

It added that the 55-year-old did not take part in its Children’s Book Festival this year, as HarperCollins “withdrew (him) from events when they announced their decision not to publish any new titles with him”.

Walliams has also been dropped by his literary agents, Independent Talent Group.

A company spokesman said it was “deeply disturbed” by the claims made against their now-former client.

“Our thoughts are with anyone who has been affected. We are no longer representing him in any capacity,” they added.

The comedian has also seen his membership of the Labour Party suspended amid the sexual misconduct allegations.

The action came as No10 described the claims as “deeply troubling”, with the Prime Minister’s official spokesman saying: “I don’t think we’ve seen the full extent of the reporting.

“They’re clearly deeply troubling allegations, and the Government will doubtless respond to them during the course of the day, I’m sure.”

The Guardian today claimed Walliams groomed fans he met when they were as young as 15 and harassed women in the workplace over a number of years.

The newspaper had approached the star, along with ITN, after they claimed to have interviewed more than 100 people with knowledge of his alleged misconduct, including 30 “first-hand” accounts.

They told the court last week they believe it is in the public interest to publish the allegations that he abused his position of power to engage in “inappropriate sexual activities with a large number of girls and young women”.

In a letter addressed to journalists working on this investigation, Walliams wrote: “Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with.

“I realise I did not always take people’s feelings properly into account. That is something I regret. 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.”

He added: “I am not a sexual predator. I have not broken the law, but I am devastated that some of the women I met 10 to 20 years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me.”

Last week, Walliams had tried to prevent publication of the allegations through an injunction, which was rejected.

He said publication would mean he was “highly likely” to kill himself, claiming it would breach his right to life under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

Mr Justice Nicklin rejected the notion and said the “court did not determine whether the allegations, or any of them, were true” but noted the star’s threats to kill himself should be taken seriously.

However, he ruled the NHS psychiatric services should fulfil his right to live, instead of gagging media reports.

Lawyers for Walliams said the attempts in his life were out of fear of public shame rooted in childhood trauma, as opposed to any form of guilt.

David Walliams Cancelled by BBC, Waterstones, Labour and Even His Own Agent as Career Faces Unprecedented Crisis

David Walliams is facing an extraordinary professional crisis after a series of major organisations, including the BBC, Waterstones, the Labour Party and his own talent agency, distanced themselves from the comedian following serious allegations of sexual misconduct.

The 55-year-old television personality and bestselling children’s author has seen his reputation come under intense scrutiny following an investigation by The Guardian and ITV News, which published allegations from multiple women concerning his behaviour towards young women and teenagers.

The developments have come in rapid succession. The BBC has begun removing programmes featuring Walliams, his literary agency Independent Talent Group has ended its relationship with him, and Labour has suspended his party membership.

Meanwhile, Waterstones has faced renewed attention over its decision to remove his books from its commercial activities.

The controversy represents a major turning point for a performer who spent decades building a successful career in British entertainment and children’s publishing.

However, Walliams strongly denies the allegations and insists that he is not a sexual predator and has not broken the law.

BBC Begins Removing David Walliams Programmes

One of the most significant developments concerns the BBC, the broadcaster responsible for some of Walliams’ most successful television projects.

The corporation confirmed that it was reviewing programmes featuring or written by the comedian and had begun removing some material, including the popular sketch show Little Britain.

A BBC spokesperson said the allegations were serious and that the organisation was carefully examining its available content.

The decision represents a significant development for a programme that helped establish Walliams as one of Britain’s most recognisable comedy performers.

Little Britain, which he created alongside Matt Lucas, became a major television success after its launch in 2003.

The programme ran for three series and generated live performances, international adaptations and considerable commercial success.

Its removal from BBC platforms marks another period of uncertainty for the comedy series.

The broadcaster has not suggested that the allegations have been proven in court. Its decision is part of an ongoing review following the publication of the investigation.

Waterstones and the Publishing Industry Face Questions

Walliams’ career as a children’s author has also been affected.

His books, including Gangsta Granny, The Boy in the Dress and Billionaire Boy, have sold millions of copies and become familiar titles in British schools, libraries and bookshops.

For years, he was one of the most commercially successful writers in the children’s publishing market.

However, HarperCollins ended its publishing relationship with him in December 2025 following earlier concerns about his conduct towards female employees.

The publisher subsequently began phasing out his back catalogue.

Waterstones has also faced scrutiny over its decision to withdraw or reduce the availability of his books in its commercial activities.

The situation creates difficult questions for booksellers.

Should retailers continue selling commercially successful books when their author faces serious allegations? Or should they consider the concerns raised by employees, customers and the wider public?

There are no simple answers, particularly when children’s books are involved.

Some readers may wish to separate an author’s work from allegations about their personal conduct, while others may prefer not to purchase books associated with someone facing such serious accusations.

For the publishing industry, the controversy demonstrates how quickly commercial relationships can change when an author’s reputation comes under sustained scrutiny.

Even His Own Agent Has Walked Away

Perhaps one of the clearest indications of the seriousness of the professional crisis came when Independent Talent Group announced that it was no longer representing Walliams.

The agency said it was deeply disturbed by the allegations and expressed sympathy for anyone affected.

It confirmed that it would no longer represent him in any capacity.

Losing a long-standing talent agency can have substantial consequences for an entertainer.

Agents play an important role in negotiating contracts, arranging appearances, managing professional relationships and advising clients on their careers.

Without that representation, securing new television opportunities, commercial partnerships and entertainment projects may become considerably more difficult.

The decision also demonstrates that the controversy has moved beyond media criticism and into the business relationships that helped sustain Walliams’ career.

Labour Suspends Walliams

The Labour Party has also suspended Walliams as a member following the publication of the allegations.

The development has attracted additional political attention because one of the women who has spoken publicly, Abby Tomlinson, is connected to Andy Burnham’s political team.

Tomlinson became known during the 2015 general election campaign through her involvement in the online Milifandom movement supporting Ed Miliband.

She later developed a career in political communications.

Her account concerning an alleged encounter with Walliams when she was 17 has become part of the wider investigation.

Labour’s decision to suspend Walliams is an internal party measure and should not be interpreted as a criminal conviction.

Nevertheless, it reflects the political consequences of the allegations and the pressure facing organisations associated with prominent public figures.

What Are the Women Alleging?

The investigation by The Guardian and ITV News examined allegations from several women who described encounters with Walliams over a period of years.

Some of the most serious allegations concern women who say they first met him as teenagers.

One woman, identified as Jade, alleged that she was 15 when she met Walliams in 2007 and that an incident at his home amounted to sexual assault.

Another woman, identified as Alex, said she had a sexual relationship with him when she was 17 and later believed that she had been groomed.

Walliams disputed her account, saying that he believed she was 18 at the time.

Other women described allegedly inappropriate behaviour and unwanted physical contact.

The investigation also examined claims relating to his professional relationships with younger women and people working in the entertainment industry.

Walliams has strongly denied sexual misconduct and criminal wrongdoing.

He has said that although he sometimes behaved thoughtlessly in past relationships, he never deliberately abused his celebrity status.

These distinctions are important because the published allegations have not all been tested in criminal proceedings.

The High Court Battle That Brought His Identity Into the Public Domain

Walliams attempted to prevent the publication of the allegations through legal action against The Guardian and ITV News.

His lawyers argued that publication could have devastating consequences for his mental health.

The High Court heard that he had made two suicide attempts during 2026.

His legal team argued that preventing publication was necessary because of the potential consequences for his safety.

However, the judge refused to grant an injunction.

The court considered the competing interests of privacy, freedom of expression and the public interest in allowing the media organisations to publish their investigation.

The judge did not determine whether the allegations were true.

Walliams subsequently did not pursue an appeal within the relevant period, allowing the organisations to identify him publicly.

The legal proceedings attracted considerable attention because of the difficult questions they raised about press freedom and the protection of individuals facing serious allegations.

Britain’s Got Talent Producers Respond

Walliams’ former role on Britain’s Got Talent has also returned to public attention.

He served as a judge on the ITV programme from 2012 until 2022, becoming a familiar face to millions of viewers.

He left the show following the leak of offensive and sexually explicit remarks he had made about contestants during recording breaks.

The programme’s production company, Fremantle UK, has now described the new allegations as disturbing and concerning.

The company encouraged anyone who believed they had experienced inappropriate conduct during one of its productions to come forward.

It also stated that no complaint about Walliams’ behaviour had been made to it during his time on the programme or in the intervening period.

A Career Built Over Decades Now Under Pressure

Walliams’ professional achievements have been considerable.

He became famous through Little Britain, developed a successful career as a television presenter and actor, and established himself as one of Britain’s bestselling children’s authors.

His books have been translated into numerous languages and adapted for television and theatre.

He was awarded an OBE in 2017 for services to charity and the arts.

His public image was built around humour, family entertainment and his success as a children’s writer.

The present controversy has therefore created a particularly difficult situation for the organisations that previously promoted his work.

The BBC must consider its programming responsibilities. Publishers must consider their commercial and professional relationships. Bookshops must respond to customers and staff. Political organisations must consider their membership rules.

Each institution faces its own decisions, and none of those decisions should be confused with a judicial finding on the allegations.

Conclusion: The Consequences Continue to Mount

David Walliams is facing a series of professional setbacks that have affected almost every major area of his career.

The BBC is reviewing and removing some programmes, Waterstones has faced questions over his books, Labour has suspended his membership, HarperCollins has ended its publishing relationship and Independent Talent Group has dropped him as a client.

Meanwhile, police have encouraged potential victims to come forward with information that could assist their enquiries.

Walliams continues to deny the allegations and has not been convicted of the conduct described in the investigation.

Nevertheless, the controversy has prompted a wider debate about celebrity influence, professional responsibility and the treatment of young women in the entertainment industry.

For the organisations involved, the challenge is to respond responsibly while respecting due process.

For the women who have spoken publicly, the priority is that their accounts are taken seriously and examined fairly.

And for Walliams, the immediate future of a career built over decades remains uncertain.