A senior aide to Andy Burnham has alleged that David Walliams invited her to his Britain’s Got Talent dressing room when she was 17.
Abby Tomlinson, who serves as the Prime Minister’s deputy digital communications chief, is one of several women to have made allegations of sexual misconduct against the actor and comedian.
She says Walliams sent her an unsolicited message inviting her to a Britain’s Got Talent live show in 2015, when he was still a judge on the programme.
Ms Tomlinson says she attended with a 13-year-old girl. On arrival, they were taken to Walliams’ dressing room, where two other girls, aged 16 and 17, were also present.
According to her account, the girls were left alone with Walliams without another adult in the room. ‘The door was shut and we were alone with him. That was absolutely the case,’ she told The Guardian.
‘He was someone who clearly had a great deal of access to young women and teenage girls.’
Walliams’ lawyers have argued that the account is misleading. The Little Britain star recently lost a High Court attempt to stop ITV News and The Guardian from publishing the allegations as part of their joint investigation.
Ms Tomlinson had previously raised concerns about Walliams on social media in 2020.
She wrote: ‘I keep thinking about how a certain national treasure comedian invited me to meet him when I was 17, began liking my Instagram posts when I turned 18, and then messaged me “looking good x” when I was 19.’
Abby Tomlinson, a senior aide to Andy Burnham, alleges that David Walliams invited her to his Britain’s Got Talent dressing room when she was 17
Ms Tomlinson is the Prime Minister’s deputy digital communications chief
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman described the allegations as ‘deeply troubling’, while Labour has suspended Walliams’ party membership.
Walliams has also been accused of using his public profile to pursue what was described as ‘inappropriate and exploitative sexual activity’ with ‘a large number’ of women and girls.
One woman, referred to as Jade by ITV News and The Guardian, alleges that Walliams sexually assaulted her when she was 15 after first contacting her online.
Jade says they met in Soho before Walliams drove her to his home in an Aston Martin. She alleges the assault took place at Supernova Heights, the London property he bought from Oasis musician Noel Gallagher.
‘He asked me to come inside and hugged me. That was when he kissed me,’ Jade alleged of Walliams, who was 36 at the time.
‘He pulled up my top and sucked on my breast, then tried to put my hand down his trousers. I pulled away and said, “No”. He had an erection,’ she said.
‘I was not ready for sex. I did not want to do that with him or anyone else. I did not want to be touched like that. I was only 15.’
Jade says she had told him that she had previously been sexually abused by another person as a child. According to her, he replied: ‘Sorry to hear that.’
She said she regards the alleged incident as ‘sexual assault’ and ‘grooming’, adding: ‘It was completely wrong in every way.’
Another woman, identified as Alex, alleges that Walliams began contacting her when she was 15 and preparing for her mock GCSEs. She says they first met at a Little Britain fan event, where he was dressed as his character Lou.
Their meeting was filmed, and Alex says they began a sexual relationship around two years later, when she was 17.
Asked about her feelings towards Walliams now, she said: ‘I want to vomit. I hate him. My body reacts whenever I think about it. It feels like a trauma response. I believe I was groomed – 100 per cent.’
Walliams, 55, applied to the High Court for an injunction preventing the media from reporting the allegations, leading to widespread online speculation about the identity of the person involved.
A judge rejected his application last week. Walliams did not appeal before Monday’s 4.30pm deadline, and ITV News and The Guardian identified him at midday on Tuesday.
Walliams denies all wrongdoing.
