David Walliams allegedly had an inappropriate sexual relationship with an intern at publisher HarperCollins and pursued another employee - before he was dropped for 'inappropriate behaviour towards young women'.
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he → have → women
Walliams, who is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl and preying on multiple teenagers, admits having a consensual sexual relationship with the intern.
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who → accuse → intern
In 2017, the young woman - who had met the author at a publishing event - was asked to go to Walliams' house on her own.
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who → meet → own
At the time, it was common practice to send editorial assistants, or even interns, to authors' homes to collect manuscripts, it is understood.
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it → send → manuscripts
But amid growing unease at the publisher about Walliams' conduct, girls had stopped being sent to his house on their own, a former employee claimed.
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employee → grow → own
The intern sent to Walliams' home later told colleagues that although their sexual relationship had been consensual, she felt it was an 'abuse of power'.
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it → send → power
ITV News and the Guardian this week revealed the comedian had a sexual relationship with at least one junior employee at the publisher, and pursued another.
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comedian → reveal → another
One employee, referred to as Katie, who worked at HarperCollins in 2015, said a young employee had showed her a series of emails she received from Walliams.
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she → refer → Walliams
David Walliams, pictured last month, is accused of abusing his status to target girls and young women.
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Walliams → picture → girls
He denies the claims
'
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He → deny → claims
She was so young, I think that she would have been early 20s.
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she → think → ?
She definitely wasn't pleased about it, definitely wasn't interested,' Katie said.
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Katie → say → it
Katie was so concerned about the emails that she shared them with two different departments, she said.
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she → share → departments
'I told my line manager and we told HR... but because he was responsible for HarperCollins hitting their targets every year, nothing ever happened.
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nothing → tell → targets
In late 2023, HarperCollins initiated an inquiry into Walliams, which wrapped up in 2024.
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which → initiate → 2024
He was then dropped from the publisher in December 2025, and in September this year HarperCollins said it would no longer publish his books.
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it → drop → books
Walliams denies that he sexually harassed anyone at HarperCollins or behaved inappropriately in the workplace.
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he → deny → workplace
In a statement responding to ITV News and the Guardian's investigation, the company said: 'HarperCollins UK previously terminated its publishing relationship with David Walliams.
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UK → respond → Walliams
'We take the safety of our people incredibly seriously and to respect the privacy of individuals we do not comment on employee matters.'
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we → take → matters
Walliams is accused of 'abusing his status' on Little Britain and Britain's Got Talent (BGT) and engaging in 'inappropriate and exploitative sexual activities' with 'a large number' of young women and girls.
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Walliams → accuse → women
He denies any wrongdoing and told the High Court he would kill himself if his identity were revealed.
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identity → deny → himself
It came 24 hours after his friend Russell Brand was jailed for ten-and-a-half years for rape.
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friend → come → rape
This afternoon, Downing Street said allegations of sexual misconduct made by multiple women were 'deeply troubling' and the Government is 'concerned' about the use of injunctions.
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Government → say → injunctions
Labour has suspended him as a party member, it later emerged.
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it → suspend → member
One accuser, named as Jade by ITV News and The Guardian, alleges she was sexually assaulted by Walliams when she was 15 after he contacted her online.
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he → name → her
Jade claims they met in Soho before he drove her to his home in his Aston Martin.
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he → claim → Martin
She alleges Walliams sexually assaulted her at Supernova Heights, the mansion once owned by Oasis star Noel Gallagher.
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Walliams → allege → Gallagher
'He asked me to come over and gave me a hug.
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He → ask → hug
That's when he kissed me,' Jade alleged of Walliams, who was 36 at the time.
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who → kiss → time
'He lifted my top up and sucked on my breast and then tried to put my hand down his trousers.
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He → lift → trousers
That's when I pulled away and said, 'No'.
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I → pull → ?
He had an erection at the time,' she said.
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she → have → time
I didn't want to do that, with him or with anyone.
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I → want → anyone
I didn't want to be touched in that way at all.
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I → want → way
I mean, I was only 15.
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I → mean → ?
In a statement to ITV News and The Guardian, Walliams said: 'Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with.
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I → say → relationships
I realise I did not always take people's feelings properly into account.
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I → realise → account
That is something I regret.
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I → regret → ?
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.
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I → abuse → that
I have not broken the law.
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I → break → law
…and 1 more, not listed.
The Aporia
