David Walliams accused of grooming young fans
David Walliams has been accused of grooming fans as young as 15 and harassing women in the workplace over a number of years.
He 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 being reported was rejected last week.
He subsequently failed to lodge an appeal before the deadline at 4.30pm on Monday.
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”.
Walliams was dropped by HarperCollins UK last year after the Daily Telegraph reported the publisher had investigated claims he had harassed some of its junior female employees.
Walliams found fame on British television alongside creative partner Matt Lucas in the early 2000s with shows including the sketch comedy series “Little Britain” before launching a career as a children’s author.
His bestsellers include his 2008 debut “The Boy in the Dress”, “Billionaire Boy” and “Gangsta Granny”.
For a decade, Walliams was also a judge on the television talent show competition “Britain’s Got Talent”.
He left in 2022 after remarks he made on the show were leaked, and he later apologised for making “disrespectful comments” about contestants during filming breaks.
