David Walliams seen laughing at old joke as documentary examines allegations against him

David Walliams is shown laughing in archive footage at a joke about him going home with a teenager, in a new ITV News documentary examining allegations made against the comedian. The clip comes from the 2004 British Comedy Awards, hosted by Jonathan Ross, who quipped that the 15-year-old ceremony was “probably going home with David Walliams”. The camera cuts to Walliams smiling and gesturing towards it. Ross has said through lawyers that he did not write the joke himself. The documentary, titled David Walliams: Power and Silence, is part of a joint investigation by ITV News and the Guardian. The outlets report that several women have accused Walliams of pursuing them for sex when they were teenagers. The programme includes accounts from women who say his celebrity status gave him power when he made contact with them as teens or young adults. One interviewee, identified as Jade, told the news organisations she was 15 and Walliams was 36 when they met in 2007. She alleges he invited her to his home and describes what she says happened there as sexual assault and grooming. Another woman, identified as Alex, said she was 17 when she began having sex with him and told the programme she believes she was groomed. Walliams has said he believed Alex was 18 at the time. His lawyers reject the allegation of grooming and say it has caused him significant distress. He denies all allegations of wrongdoing, including claims that he targeted teenagers or used his celebrity status to manipulate women. The documentary also refers to allegations of inappropriate behaviour and sexual harassment connected to Britain’s Got Talent and publisher HarperCollins. HarperCollins dropped him in 2025 after separate workplace allegations.