Comedian Lucy Beaumont identifies herself as David Walliams whistleblower
Comedian Lucy Beaumont fears she'll never work in TV again after raising concerns with journalists about David Walliams' alleged conduct.
British comedian and children’s author David Walliams has been accused of sexual misconduct and grooming following a three-year joint investigation by The Guardian and ITV News. Walliams denies all the allegations.
Speaking to Sky News' Cathy Newman, Beaumont revealed she was one of the whistleblowers who originally contacted The Guardian, and said she doubts she will work in television again.
Beaumont stressed that 'all her knowledge is secondhand', explaining she has 'never worked with him' and did not witness anything herself.
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She said she had spoken out because she was 'really worried' after a young person confided in her roughly three years ago.
The person, Beaumont said, worked in their first job in television on a show Walliams, before moving to a project she was working on.
Beaumont said they told her their role had been to take young women to Walliams' dressing room.
The worker told her they believed the women were over 16, but described them as vulnerable and working-class.
Beaumont said her background working in schools, where she was trained in safeguarding, meant she felt a duty of care once she had heard the account.
Her reason for going to journalists, she explained, was that the industry offers few alternatives.
"There's no HR department in TV," she said. "There's no proper duty of care."
She added that agents work for the talent, and that people regularly shift between roles, so problems can slip through the net.
Beaumont said she fears the consequences of speaking out. "I don't think I'll work in telly again," she said, adding that even people who agree with her stay silent because they could lose work or be seen as a 'trouble causer'.
Asked about her future, Beaumont replied: "I'm going to be a Pilates teacher instead."
Beaumont said she felt there was a 'window of opportunity' to change things.
Her proposal is a database, similar to the platforms bookers already use to find artists' details, where people could anonymously flag someone who made them uncomfortable or was sexually suggestive. TV channels could then look into the reports.
Beaumont said the idea is not about criminalizing anyone, though she acknowledged the risk of innocent people being tarnished.
She also said the case should prompt a wider conversation about the age gap permitted under the age of consent, questioning why a 40-year-old dating a 16-year-old is legal if everyone would be uncomfortable with it.
In a letter to journalists published by the Guardian, Walliams said he was 'not a sexual predator' and had not 'broken the law'.
He said he 'realised that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with' and said he regretted not always taking 'people's feelings properly into account'.
LADbible Group has contacted Walliams' representatives for a comment.
Thomas Bamford
