Celebrity in failed legal injunction named as David Walliams
Walliams failed to get a High Court injunction against two media organisations in an attempt to prevent them from reporting allegations
The celebrity who tried to get an injunction to prevent the reporting of allegations against him can now be named as David Walliams.
The 55-year-old brought legal action against Independent Television News (ITN) and Guardian News and Media (GNM), publisher of The Guardian, before the two organisations reported allegations against him, including sexual misconduct and potential criminal activity
He was granted anonymity during the legal proceedings, but that anonymity was lifted after his injunction bid was dismissed and GNM and ITN published their investigations today.
Walliams denies abusing his power
Walliams has denied abusing his power as a celebrity in relationships with women, but said he realised he had "behaved thoughtlessly".
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… I realise I did not always take people's feelings properly into account. That is something I regret.'
He also said: '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…'
Walliams said: 'I am not a sexual predator… I have not broken the law… I am devastated that some of the women I met ten to twenty years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me.'
Downing Street reaction
Downing Street has described the allegations against Walliams as "deeply troubling".