Television presenter Jonathan Ross has stated that he is deeply horrified by the recent revelations concerning David Walliams and Russell Brand, emphasizing that he was genuinely unaware of their actions despite previously making a controversial joke about Walliams at an awards ceremony two decades ago.
The allegations against Walliams, a prominent television personality and children's author, emerged following a three-year joint investigation by the Guardian and ITV News. Multiple women have accused the 55-year-old entertainer of leveraging his celebrity status and power to prey on young women and teenagers for sexual purposes. Walliams has denied any wrongdoing, and his legal representatives have refuted claims of workplace harassment and sexual misconduct.
During the 2004 British Comedy Awards, Ross delivered a remark on stage suggesting that the event was likely to go home with Walliams, drawing a parallel to a 15-year-old. Addressing the resurfaced footage, Ross explained that the line was provided by the event's writing team and that he believed the punchline merely exaggerated Walliams's known history of publicly dating younger women for comedic effect.
Ross acknowledged that the remark was tasteless and stated that he would never consider making such a joke today. He added that had he possessed any inkling that the line alluded to real-life behavior, he would have refused to say it and immediately distanced himself professionally and personally from Walliams.
The fallout from the investigation has led to swift professional consequences for Walliams. His literary agency, Independent Talent Group, severed ties after expressing deep disturbance over the claims, while Fremantle UK, the production company behind Britain's Got Talent where Walliams served as a judge from 2012 to 2022, voiced serious concern. Additionally, Sky canceled its licensing plans for a forthcoming film written by and starring Walliams, and the BBC initiated a review of platform material featuring him, temporarily removing titles such as Little Britain.
Political figures have also responded strongly to the case. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy described the claims as another example of reported abuses of power within the entertainment industry and vowed to meet with media executives to establish strict boundaries against harassment. Downing Street characterized the reports as deeply troubling, and Walliams's Labour party membership has been suspended.
Walliams, currently receiving care in a psychiatric hospital, addressed the investigation in a personal letter to journalists, denying that he operated as a sexual predator or broke the law. While acknowledging that he may have acted thoughtlessly in past casual relationships, he maintained that he never abused his fame or power over others.