David Walliams was repeatedly named as a man to avoid on a WhatsApp group just for female comics, while schools were allegedly warned he was 'not an appropriate booking', it was claimed today.
uncertain
it → name → comics
Comedian Kate Smurthwaite said the chat 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.
uncertain
they → say → 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'.
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***'.
asserted
he → deny → *
She told BBC Newsnight: 'Walliams is a name that came up over and over and over again.
asserted
that → tell → Newsnight
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.
asserted
who → be → 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.'
asserted
you → say → him
Another comedian was discussed in messages that read: 'Yeah, I shared a car with him a couple of months ago.
asserted
I → discuss → months
I've warned promoters about him since then, but I keep seeing he still gets booked.'
asserted
he → warn → him
The moment Alex, then 15, met Walliams at a Little Britain fan event.
asserted
Alex → meet → event
Walliams was dressed as his character Lou.
asserted
Walliams → dress → character
One author claimed that she was warned that he was not an appropriate booking for schools
Messages on a WhatsApp group for female comics warning and naming 'creepy' male colleagues
Author Chloe Combi said there had been 'real concerns' about Walliams's behaviour within publishing circles more than a decade ago and that she had been warned to steer clear.
'
asserted
she → claim → circles
We were talking about the scheme and possible writers who might be good for the project and work well with teenagers,' Combi said.
uncertain
Combi → talk → teenagers
'She gave me some great recommendations and said: 'Whatever you do, don't invite David Walliams.
asserted
you → give → Walliams
And if you're speaking to head teachers or teachers, please inform them that he's not a good booking and not an appropriate booking for a school.'
asserted
he → speak → school
'I obviously asked why
asserted
I → ask → ?
and, to be honest, I had already heard quite a lot of rumours because those worlds are quite small and contained.
asserted
worlds → hear → rumours
One of the things she said was that there had been real concerns about his behaviour around young female staff.'
asserted
she → say → staff
TV chiefs face a legal crackdown to make them protect girls from predatory entertainers following the David Walliams and Russell Brand scandals.
asserted
them → face → scandals
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is hauling broadcasters in for a showdown next week after it was claimed that Walliams' alleged preying on young women was – as with Brand – an 'open secret' in the industry.
asserted
preying → haul → industry
Both are said to have become so powerful, and were so lucrative for broadcasters, their behaviour went unchallenged.
asserted
behaviour → say → broadcasters
Ms Nandy vowed to 'draw a line in the sand' when she meets entertainment leaders – threatening laws to clean up the industry if they do not act.
She said: 'A decade and a half on from the revelations about Jimmy Savile, and ten years on from the MeToo movement, we must finally take meaningful steps to end abuse and harassment.'
No10 called the Walliams allegations 'deeply troubling', and said there was 'a pattern of behaviour that needs to change'.
asserted
that → vow → behaviour
Former Britain's Got Talent judge Walliams allegedly used his star power to lure young women to his dressing room and his £3.5million north London house.
uncertain
Walliams → use → room
Russell Brand and David Walliams are pictured together at the British Comedy Awards in London in December 2006
asserted
Brand → picture → December
A string of teenagers and young women made allegations of sexual misconduct to an investigation by The Guardian and ITV News.
asserted
string → make → Guardian
Walliams threatened to kill himself if they were published, but failed to secure a court injunction preventing the Press from naming him.
asserted
they → threaten → him
Walliams is understood to be in a psychiatric hospital, just days after rapist Brand was jailed for more than ten years.
asserted
Brand → understand → years
Chatshow host Jonathan Ross, who knew both, apologised for a tasteless joke he made to the 2004 comedy awards about a 15-year-old 'probably going home' with Walliams.
asserted
old → know → Walliams
Ross said he was 'horrified by the revelations about David Walliams and the crimes of Russell Brand'.
asserted
he → say → Brand
He said he had once been friendly with both, adding: 'During that period I was genuinely unaware of their conduct.'
asserted
I → say → conduct
A photo from 2003 shows Ross with Walliams and one of his accusers.
asserted
photo → show → accusers
Lilly Creightmore was 18 when Walliams invited her to stay at his home.
asserted
Walliams → invite → home
She told Newsnight: 'One night I think he put his head in my lap and sort of be like, 'Are you sure you don't want to come and sleep in my bed with me?'
asserted
you → tell → me
I had an inner strength, like 'No'.'
asserted
I → have → strength
Comedian Lucy Beaumont, one of the investigation's whistleblowers, said a young TV worker told her 'his job was to take young girls to Walliams' dressing room'.
asserted
job → say → room
The youngsters were over 16, she said, but 'were working-class girls and some had never been to London before'.
asserted
some → say → London
She said: 'I was worried these girls were young.
asserted
girls → say → ?
I tried to contact some of them to ask if they were all right.
asserted
they → try → them
One was 'in a really bad way' and Walliams' lawyers had told her to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to secure her silence.
asserted
lawyers → tell → silence
Ms Beaumont said the NDA 'against someone who was groomed as a child' stopped her telling her family or a therapist.
asserted
her → say → family
Dermot McNamara, a TV agent, said he raised concerns with 'authorities and broadcasters' about Walliams after a client, who was 16 when she was taken backstage at BGT, was invited to Walliams' home where allegedly 'inappropriate behaviour' happened.
uncertain
behaviour → say → home
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
