'David Walliams came up over and over again in the female comics' WhatsApp group': Comedian Kate Smurthwaite reveals friends warned each other 'about men in the industry'

Résumé détaillé

Comedian Kate Smurthwaite said the chat had been set up so women in comedy could share concerns about men they believed should be given a wide berth on tour and on TV.

Published: 08:18 GMT, 12 November 2026 | Updated: 10:08 GMT, 12 November 2026

David Walliams was repeatedly named as a man to avoid on a female comics' WhatsApp group and schools were allegedly warned he was 'not an appropriate booking', it was claimed today.

Comedian Kate Smurthwaite said the group had been set up specifically so women in comedy could share concerns about men they believed should be given a wide berth on tour and in television studios.

The children's author and TV star, 55, has denied allegations that he groomed schoolgirls, sexually assaulted a 15-year-old and pestered teenagers for sex, insisting he is 'not a sexual predator'.

Ms Smurthwaite said Walliams 'came up over and over' again – but he was not the only comedian raised in the group as being 'creepy as f***'.

She told BBC Newsnight: 'Walliams is a name that came up over and over and over again. In particular, there was a sense of concern about him working with young people and new acts, people coming onto the circuit who maybe weren't as wise and experienced as the rest of us.

'People were saying they knew individuals who had worked with him and either felt very uncomfortable and left, or stayed and felt his behaviour was inappropriate.'

Sharing messages from the group, one comic was described as 'beyond rude, shambolic and largely audience-free', prompting replies including: 'He is creepy as f***' and 'So creepy, avoid him if you can.'

Another comedian was discussed in a message that read: 'Yeah, I shared a car with him a couple of months ago. He's awful. I've warned promoters about him since then, but I keep seeing he still gets booked.'

Début de l'article, extrait de Daily Mail. Pour lire la suite, ouvrez l'article chez le média.