Highlights
- Lucy Beaumont says she fears she may never work in television again after identifying herself as a whistleblower in the allegations involving David Walliams.
- The comedian said she approached The Guardian and ITV News after hearing claims about young girls being taken to the actor's dressing room.
- Walliams has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct, including claims involving women who say they were 15 at the time.
Comedian Lucy Beaumont has said she fears her television career could be over after speaking out about allegations of sexually inappropriate behaviour involving David Walliams.
The 43-year-old made the admission during an appearance on Sky News, where she discussed her decision to share information with The Guardian and ITV News, which jointly investigated allegations against the Little Britain star.
“Honestly, I don't think I'll work in telly again. I honestly don't,” Beaumont said.
She explained that she decided to speak publicly because she felt people were not discussing the allegations, despite what she described as widespread awareness of the concerns.
Why Lucy Beaumont spoke out about David Walliams
Beaumont said a male television worker had approached her and claimed that part of his job involved taking “young girls” to Walliams' dressing room.
According to Beaumont, the worker said the girls were definitely over 16. However, she said she was concerned about their young age and wanted to check on their welfare.
“I did as much as I could do privately and whenever I've heard a rumour about anyone, I've done everything I can,” she said.
She added: “There's only so much you can do. I'm not the police. But I was really worried, and I was one of the whistleblowers.”
Beaumont said she subsequently tried to contact some of the girls to check whether they were all right.
She also clarified that she had never worked with Walliams and had not personally witnessed any of the alleged behaviour.
Lucy Beaumont fears career consequences
The comedian said she was concerned that speaking out could affect her future opportunities in television.
She suggested that people who challenge the behaviour of high-profile figures risk losing work and being labelled a “trouble causer”.
Beaumont said there were plenty of other people who could do her job, joking that she might have to change careers and become a Pilates teacher.
Her comments have brought attention to the potential professional consequences faced by people who speak out about alleged misconduct within the entertainment industry.
What are the allegations against David Walliams?
Walliams, 55, has been accused of sexually inappropriate behaviour by multiple women, including two who allege they were groomed by him when they were 15. He denies all the allegations.
On November 10, Walliams was identified as the celebrity behind a legal injunction seeking to prevent the publication of allegations that he had contacted teenage girls and young women for sexual purposes.
A High Court judge had previously rejected his attempt to prevent publication but granted permission to appeal, temporarily keeping his identity secret. Walliams subsequently missed the November 9 deadline to take the case to the Court of Appeal, allowing his identity to be reported.
A three-year joint investigation by The Guardian and ITV News uncovered allegations dating back to 2003, with some of the women claiming they were as young as 15 at the time.
In a statement to the two news organisations, Walliams acknowledged that he had sometimes behaved thoughtlessly towards women he had casual sexual relationships with and said he regretted not always considering their feelings.
However, he denied abusing his position of fame, describing himself as not being a sexual predator and insisting that he had not broken the law.
He also said he was devastated that some women he had met 10 to 20 years ago had since expressed hurt or anger towards him.
