LONDON - UK media on Tuesday published allegations that British comedian and children's author David Walliams groomed teenage fans and sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl as well as harassing young female colleagues.
The claims, published by The Guardian newspaper and ITV news channel, came after a joint investigation into allegations by multiple women dating as far back as 2003.
Walliams, who lost a High Court battle against being identified in the UK media and did not appeal, denied targeting teenagers and using his fame to manipulate them to have sex, his lawyers told media.
His lawyers did not respond to a request for comment from AFP.
The Guardian published a letter Tuesday from Walliams, saying he "behaved thoughtlessly" in casual relationships.
But he said: "I am not a sexual predator. I have not broken the law".
Now 55, Walliams starred in the BBC's "Little Britain" sketch show in the early 2000s and was a judge on commercial broadcaster ITV's "Britain's Got Talent".
He also penned books such as "Mr Stink", "Gangsta Granny" and "The Boy in the Dress", with his work translated into more than 50 languages and reportedly selling 50 million copies.
When seeking to block the publication of the reports, Walliams' legal team argued he was "highly likely" to die by suicide if they were published.
The High Court heard he made two suicide attempts this year and was detained in a secure hospital last month.
Almost all the women making claims were identified only by first names, some changed at their request.
- AFP