I saw David Walliams at his last public event since the allegations about his conduct first emerged and this is what happened

Published: 07:56 EST, 13 November 2026 | Updated: 07:56 EST, 13 November 2026 He was once the flamboyant king of television – a larger-than-life star whose very entrance was usually enough to set an audience giggling.But when I watched a downcast David Walliams arrive for what would be his first and last public appearance since the initial allegations about his conduct emerged, he looked a world away from the loud, colourful star who had once made millions laugh.The 54-year-old had arrived at the Circle & Star Theatre in Hampstead on January 17 to host a ‘storytelling adventure for kids and families’, with just 48 people turning up to watch him.I was there as he walked towards The Horseshoe pub, above which the tiny theatre is situated, accompanied by a member of staff.When I approached him for the Daily Mail, Walliams offered a quiet ‘hello’ but nothing more. He did not respond when asked when he might return to television, nor did he comment on how he was coping after what had been an extraordinarily bruising period.He kept his hands in his pockets and his head slightly bowed. I watched a downcast David Walliams arrive for what would be his first and last public appearance since the initial allegations about his conduct emerged The 54-year-old had arrived at the Circle & Star Theatre in Hampstead on January 17, (pictured) to host a ‘storytelling adventure for kids and families’, with just 48 people turning up to watch him His shoulders were hunched as he paused outside and appeared to struggle to work out where the entrance was before looking around the building and being directed towards the stage door.He then made his way inside without stopping to speak to the small group gathered outside.Inside, he was due to read from his hugely successful children’s books, answer questions and entertain the audience with the kind of irreverent humour that made him one of Britain’s best-known authors.The event had been billed as a ‘joyful storytelling adventure’ featuring live readings, audience interaction and ‘plenty of Walliams-style mischief’.However, one attendee waiting to go inside with her young son told me she was struggling to separate Walliams’s books from the allegations surrounding their author.‘His kids’ books are fabulous, but I don’t know,’ she said. ‘I think it’s very difficult once there’s been allegations.'At the time of his appearance, the allegations related to claims that Walliams had harassed employees at HarperCollins.The publisher had ended its relationship with him weeks earlier and he had also been dropped by his literary agency, Independent Talent Group, while the BBC began removing some of his programmes from its platforms.He had been due to appear at the Waterstones Children's Book Festival in Dundee the following month, but was dropped from the line-up after HarperCollins severed ties with him.But since I saw him, much more serious allegations have emerged.Walliams was this week named as the celebrity at the centre of a joint investigation by ITV News and The Guardian after a High Court judge rejected his attempt to prevent the allegations from being published.He is accused of 'abusing his status' to pursue young women and girls, including one woman who alleges that Walliams sexually assaulted her after contacting her online when she was 15.The woman alleges that Walliams was 36 at the time and claims he took her to his home, where he kissed her, lifted her top and tried to put her hand down his trousers.Another woman claims Walliams began contacting her when she was 15 after they met at a Little Britain fan event, with their relationship becoming sexual when she was 17.Walliams denies all the allegations, rejects any criminal wrongdoing and has said: ‘I am not a sexual predator. I have not broken the law.'