Since the allegations of sexual misconduct against David Walliams emerged, they have been referred to as an 'open secret' in showbusiness circles.
But despite casual warnings about his conduct being spread seemingly far and wide, it can be revealed that as late as last autumn when rumblings of his behaviour trickled into the public forum, household names were still willing to socialise with him and even appear on his podcast series to promote their work.
asserted
names → emerge → work
A number of big names appeared on his podcast last year Making A Scene, while Sir Elton John holidayed with him last summer and he appeared on the festive episode of the BBC's Would I Lie to You?
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I → appear → You
Natalie Cassidy, Alesha Dixon, Sally Dynevor, Michael Ball, David Schwimmer, Jack Whitehall, Prue Leith, David Baddiel and Rob Brydon are just a handful of famous faces who appeared on his short-lived podcast with Matt Lucas.
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who → appear → Lucas
There is no suggestion that the stars named, most of whom have children and daughters of their own, knew anything of his alleged misconduct.
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most → be → misconduct
At time of publication, they still remained silent on the allegations.
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they → remain → allegations
Despite sexual misconduct allegations being against David Walliams being referred to as an open secret' household names were still willing to socialise with him and even appear on his podcast series to promote their work
Natalie Cassidy, Alesha Dixon, Sally Dynevor, Michael Ball, David Schwimmer, Jack Whitehall, Prue Leith, David Baddiel and Rob Brydon are just a handful of famous faces who appeared on his short-lived podcast Making A Scene with Matt Lucas
The podcast heard Walliams and Lucas's famous guests turn their lives into 'cinematic masterpieces' whilst discussing them in depth.
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Walliams → refer → depth
They ask who would play them, what type of movie it would be and whether it would be a box office hit.
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it → ask → movie
As would be expected with Walliams and Lucas, it was filled with innuendos and dark humour.
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it → expect → innuendos
The last episode was in October 2025 before the podcast's social channels went dead, weeks before it emerged book publisher HarperCollins dropped him as an author following misconduct claims.
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HarperCollins → go → claims
On Thursday, the podcast's Instagram page was deleted.
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page → delete → Thursday
Walliams appeared on the 2025 Christmas special of Would I Lie To You? alongside team captains Lee Mack and David Mitchell with other guests Jools Holland, Swarzy Shire and Helen George.
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I → appear → guests
It is there he made the Nazi salute twice, which the BBC was forced to edit out.
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BBC → make → which
Walliams is accused of 'abusing his status' on Little Britain and Britain's Got Talent (BGT) and engaging in 'inappropriate and exploitative sexual activities' with 'a large number' of young women and girls.
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Walliams → accuse → women
He denies any wrongdoing.
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He → deny → wrongdoing
The allegations were made public on Tuesday as part of a joint investigation by ITN and The Guardian.
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allegations → make → ITN
His best friend, Mr Lucas, 52, who shot to fame in BBC sketch show Little Britain alongside now disgraced Walliams is continuing to remain silent.
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who → shoot → Walliams
He stopped posting his daily morning greetings to his social media followers on the same day the High Court refused Walliams' bid for an injunction preventing the publication of the serious allegations against him.
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Court → stop → him
Mr Lucas's morning mantra dates back to February 2020, just before the Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.
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mantra → date → pandemic
The Daily Mail attempted to contact Mr Lucas for a comment via his publicist but received no reply.
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Mail → attempt → reply
The last episode was in October 2025 before the podcast's social channels went dead, weeks before news emerged HarperCollins dropped him as an author following misconduct claims
Sir Elton and his husband David Furnish, longstanding friends of Walliams and perhaps his most famous, have also not spoken out against his alleged misconduct.
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Elton → go → misconduct
They holidayed with the father-of-one just last summer in the South of France, with Walliams sharing a video at the time showing him dancing around his friend who remained seated in a restaurant as he grooved to Whitney Houston's 1987 hit I Wanna Dance With Somebody.
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Wanna → holiday → Somebody
His other famous pals, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon, have not made comments either.
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pals → make → comments
They sat alongside him for the 10 years he was on the Britain's Got Talent judging panel and were even pictured with an 18-year-old fan at a recording who was invited by Walliams.
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who → sit → Walliams
Just two weeks later, she accused him of trying to kiss her after getting her drunk while he drank water.
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he → accuse → water
BGT bosses had launched a probe into Walliams' conduct behind-the-scenes after learning he had taken teenage girls into his dressing room but found 'no smoking gun' to sack him.
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he → launch → him
At the time of publication, both Ms Dixon and Ms Holden were still following his official Instagram account on social media.
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Dixon → follow → media
Comedian Kate Smurthwaite has claimed Walliams was repeatedly named as a man to avoid on a female comics' WhatsApp group.
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Walliams → claim → group
She told BBC Newsnight: 'Walliams is a name that came up over and over and over again.
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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.
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who → be → us
Jonathan Ross is the only former friend of Walliams to so far release a statement after a video resurfaced from the British Comedy Awards in 2004, which showed him telling the audience: 'The Comedy Awards is 15 years old – 15 years old!
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Awards → release → audience
And like most 15-year-olds, it's drunk, it's unpredictable and it's probably going home with David Walliams.'
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it → go → Walliams
Sir Elton and his husband David Furnish, long-standing friends of Walliams and perhaps his most famous, have also not spoken out against his alleged misconduct
BGT bosses had launched a probe into Walliams' conduct behind-the-scenes after learning he had taken teenage girls into his dressing room but found 'no smoking gun' to sack him
Ross, 65, said he was 'horrified' by the allegations, adding: 'There was a time in my life when I was on friendly terms with both men [Walliams and Brand], and during that period I was genuinely unaware of their conduct.
'
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I → stand → conduct
My thoughts are with the many, many women who have bravely come forward.'
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who → come → women
While some acquaintances are not prepared to make a public statement, they seem to be making their feelings known in a more under-the-radar way, such as Alan Carr.
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feelings → make → Carr
While he has not made a public comment, the presenter and comedian 'liked' a social media post of Lucy Beaumont, who identified herself as the whistleblower and said she has been 'doing everything she can' to support one of his alleged victims.
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she → make → victims
Carr, 50, commented on a post with five clapping emojis when stated how a man in his sixties can legally have sex with a 16-year-old.
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man → comment → old
She wrote: 'He can't legally buy her a drink and he can't have a nude image of her.
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he → write → her
But he can sleep with her.
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he → sleep → her
'
In a statement, Walliams denies all accusations against him and said: 'I am not a sexual predator'.
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I → deny → him
He 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
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
