The BBC has confirmed it is removing Little Britain and other shows featuring David Walliams from iPlayer amid allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct made against the comedian.
asserted
it → confirm → comedian
On Tuesday, the TV star and author, 55, was unmasked as the celebrity who fought for a court order to suppress allegations that he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl and preyed on multiple teenage girls while 'abusing his status' to exploit teens.
asserted
he → unmask → teens
And following the accusations, the BBC has now released a statement announcing that it is currently in the process of removing programming and carrying out a review of 'all material featuring and written by David Walliams on our platforms'.
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it → follow → platforms
A BBC spokesperson said: 'These are serious allegations.
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These → say → ?
As such, the BBC is looking carefully at all material featuring and written by David Walliams on our platforms.
asserted
BBC → look → platforms
We are in the process of removing some programmes, including Little Britain, whilst this review is under way.'
As well as the comedy shows Little Britain and airport mockumentary Come Fly With Me, episodes of The Wheel and Would I Lie To You? featuring Walliams have been removed from BBC iPlayer.
The BBC has removed Little Britain and other shows featuring David Walliams from iPlayer as he is named as gag order celebrity and accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl (pictured with Matt Lucas in Little Britain in 2004)
asserted
he → remove → 2004
The BBC has released a statement announcing that it is in the process of removing programming and carrying out a review of 'all material featuring and written by David Walliams on our platforms' (David pictured in Little Britain)
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it → release → Britain
The 2011 episode of Doctor Who titled The God Complex, which starred Walliams as the cowardly moleman alien Gibbis, has also been removed.
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which → title → Gibbis
David and his comedy partner Matt Lucas were catapulted to fame by their hugely popular sketch show Little Britain.
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David → catapult → show
The show first aired in 2003 and ran for three series until 2005, followed by a number of specials.
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show → air → specials
In recent years, the series has been criticised for racial stereotypes, blackface and other controversial humour.
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series → criticise → stereotypes
It was previously removed from streaming platforms including Netflix and BBC iPlayer in 2020, before returning to BBC iPlayer in 2022 with content warnings and some edits.
asserted
It → remove → warnings
Characters including Desiree DeVere, Thai bride Ting Tong, Only Gay in the Village Dafydd Thomas and Emily Howard and Florence Rose were among those whose portrayals attracted criticism.
David and Matt, 52, apologised in 2020 for sketches in their comedy series that contained racial stereotypes, admitting their portrayal of certain characters had been 'wrong'.
Since 2023, the pair have been working on a new comedy series, which they have promised will be edgy and similar in style to their past television shows.
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they → include → shows
On Tuesday, a three-year joint investigation by ITV News and The Guardian revealed a series of allegations dating back to 2003, with some accusers being as young as 15.
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accusers → reveal → 15
David denies all the allegations.
asserted
David → deny → allegations
In a statement to The Guardian and ITV News, the comedian said: 'Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with…
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I → say → relationships
I realise I did not always take people's feelings properly into account.
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I → realise → account
That is something I regret.
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I → regret → ?
Walliams launched a High Court bid to prevent the media reporting the allegations, prompting fevered speculation online about his identity
'
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media → launch → identity
And whilst a power imbalance is inevitable when one party is famous, abusing that power is something else entirely and it is something that I never did…
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I → abuse → that
I have not broken the law…
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I → break → law
I am devastated that some of the women I met ten to twenty years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me.
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I → devastate → me
Last month the High Court judge previously dismissed David's bid to prevent the publication of the allegations but granted him permission to appeal and temporarily kept his identity secret.
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judge → dismiss → identity
However, the comedian-and-writer missed a 4.30pm deadline on Monday to take the case to the Court of Appeal, meaning he can now be named.
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he → miss → Appeal
Walliams denies any wrongdoing and argued in the High Court that he would kill himself if his identity were revealed.
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identity → deny → himself
On Tuesday afternoon, Downing Street said allegations of sexual misconduct made by multiple women were 'deeply troubling'.
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allegations → say → women
One accuser, named as Jade by ITV News and The Guardian, alleges she was sexually assaulted by Walliams when she was 15 after he contacted her online.
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he → name → her
Jade claims they met in London's Soho before he drove her to his home in his Aston Martin.
uncertain
he → claim → Martin
She alleges Walliams sexually assaulted her at Supernova Heights, the mansion once owned by Oasis star Noel Gallagher.
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Walliams → allege → Gallagher
'He asked me to come over and gave me a hug.
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He → ask → hug
That's when he kissed me,' Jade alleged of Walliams, who was 36 at the time.
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who → kiss → time
'He lifted my top up and sucked on my breast and then tried to put my hand down his trousers.
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He → lift → trousers
That's when I pulled away and said, "No".
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I → pull → ?
He had an erection at the time,' she said.
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she → have → time
I didn't want to do that, with him or with anyone.
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I → want → anyone
I didn't want to be touched in that way at all.
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I → want → way
I mean, I was only 15.'
asserted
I → mean → ?
She claimed she had confided in him that she had previously been sexually abused by someone else as a child, to which he responded: 'Sorry to hear that.'
asserted
he → claim → that
Jade said she considers what she alleges happened to her to have been 'sexual assault' and 'grooming', adding: 'It's completely wrong in every way.'
Another woman, identified only as Alex, claims Walliams began contacting her when she was 15 and studying for her mock GCSEs after meeting her at a Little Britain fan event where he was dressed as his character Lou.
uncertain
he → say → character
The moment they met was captured on camera.
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they → meet → camera
…and 6 more, not listed.
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