Backstage invitations, a teenage fan and new scrutiny of Walliams’ BGT era

David Walliams invited a 17-year-old fan to accompany him backstage at Britain’s Got Talent during the 2015 semi-finals, a moment that began a year-long friendship that later drew renewed scrutiny. The comedian and children’s author, then 44, posed for selfies with the teenager and her friend as they enjoyed backstage cupcakes and fizzy drinks. What began as a moment of star attention blossomed into a sustained, though controversial, connection that included Walliams staying in touch, introducing her to family, and inviting her to subsequent show events. By 2016 the relationship had cooled, but the episode would later be cited in discussions about boundaries between celebrities and young fans on high‑profile television sets.

A series of posts five years later would complicate the memory of that backstage visit. In 2020, the woman—whose name The Mail on Sunday chose not to publish—shared a set of social media entries recalling the semi‑final encounter. In one message she posted a photo of herself with three other young women backstage and wrote that inviting four girls aged 16/17 into a dressing room, with only Walliams’s PA present to provide refreshments, felt abnormal and inappropriate. She added that other production staff could see what was happening and did nothing. In another post she shared a photo of Walliams in a backstage corridor and said he texted her quite a bit. She emphasized that many people within the production circle were aware of similar visits, yet the matter was not reported at the time.

The newly surfaced reflections come as Walliams faces separate professional scrutiny. Last week, HarperCollins—publisher of Walliams’s popular children’s books, including Gangsta Granny and Billionaire Boy—announced it would no longer release new titles by Walliams. Reporting indicates the decision followed allegations that he harassed junior female employees there, with one reportedly receiving a five-figure payout before leaving the company. Walliams has strongly denied any inappropriate conduct and has said he is pursuing legal action. His representatives emphasized that he had not been informed of any formal allegations by HarperCollins, and a Talkback Thames spokesperson asserted there was no suggestion of impropriety by any member of the Britain’s Got Talent team.

The woman at the center of the 2015‑era friendship has stressed that she did not accuse Walliams herself of wrongdoing. Her posts, now revisited in light of the broader controversy surrounding the entertainer, have been described by friends as a potential reflection on loneliness and the dynamics of fame. The timeline shows that the friendship began roughly three months before the 2015 BGT semi‑final and progressed through a series of invitations—first to the Birmingham auditions, then to other events in London, and finally to various social occasions that included dinner, spa days, and other personal touches around Walliams’s life. Walliams’s public separation from Lara Stone occurred in 2015, with the couple’s divorce finalized later that year; the article notes that the timing might have shaped the personal choices on both sides, though it does not attribute motive.

Industry and audience reactions to the new revelations have been swift but cautious. Walliams’s agent said he had not been informed of any allegations by HarperCollins and denied any inappropriate behavior, while a spokesperson for the Britain’s Got Talent production company, Talkback Thames, said there was no suggestion of impropriety by the show’s team. The statements underscore a broader pattern of responses to backstage questions about conduct in reality-competition television and the extent to which production companies are aware of, and respond to, potential concerns at the time. In the weeks since, observers have emphasized the need for clear boundaries and accountability, particularly when young fans interact with high‑profile personalities in backstage settings.

Overall, the accounts from 2015–16 and the 2020 social posts provide a detailed, if contested, look at what happened behind the scenes on a Saturday-night cultural phenomenon and how those memories intersect with today’s discussions about safeguarding and professional boundaries in entertainment. The teenager involved has not publicly alleged wrongdoing, and she has indicated that her perspective evolved over time. As producers and publishers respond to separate allegations about Walliams, the case adds to a broader debate about how talent, fame, and backstage access are managed in major television and publishing ecosystems.