Comedian Matt Lucas has been photographed in London for the first time since allegations of sexual misconduct against his former comedy partner David Walliams became public.
Lucas was spotted walking through the capital on Thursday morning wearing a green padded jacket, a blue cap and sunglasses.
He appeared to keep a low profile as he walked along the street with his head down.
The comedian, who co-created and starred in Little Britain and Come Fly With Me alongside Walliams, has not made any public statement about the allegations.
Although Lucas has not been accused of any wrongdoing, fans have increasingly called on him to address the claims involving his long-time professional partner.
Walliams Named Following Failed High Court Injunction Bid
The allegations against Walliams, 55, became public on Tuesday after a High Court injunction preventing their publication was lifted.
The former Britain’s Got Talent judge had sought legal protection to stop media organisations from reporting the claims.
He reportedly argued that he would take his own life if the allegations were made public.
However, a judge dismissed his application last week, and Walliams did not appeal before the 4.30pm deadline on Monday.
ITV News and The Guardian subsequently identified him as the celebrity at the centre of the allegations on Tuesday afternoon.
Walliams has denied the accusations of sexual assault and predatory behaviour.
Two Women Make Allegations About Their Teenage Years
One of the women, identified as Jade by ITV News and The Guardian, alleged that Walliams sexually assaulted her when she was 15.
According to her account, Walliams initially contacted her online before arranging to meet her in London’s Soho district. She claimed he subsequently drove her to his home in an Aston Martin.
Jade alleged that the incident happened at Supernova Heights, a property previously owned by Oasis musician Noel Gallagher.
She claimed Walliams kissed her, lifted her top and touched her breast before attempting to put her hand down his trousers.
She said she resisted his advances and made it clear that she did not want sexual contact.
Jade also alleged that she had previously told Walliams about being sexually abused as a child by another person.
Describing her experience, she characterised the alleged incident as sexual assault and grooming, saying she had not consented to being touched.
Second Woman Claims Contact Began at Age 15
Another woman, identified only as Alex, alleged that Walliams began communicating with her when she was 15 and preparing for her mock GCSE examinations.
She said they first met at a Little Britain fan event, where Walliams was dressed as his character Lou, wearing a frizzy wig and leather jacket.
A photograph reportedly captured their first meeting.
Alex alleged that their relationship became sexual approximately two years later, when she was 17.
Speaking about her feelings towards Walliams, she described experiencing a strong emotional and physical reaction when remembering their interactions.
She also said she believed she had been groomed.
Former Publisher Employee Raises Concerns
A whistleblower who previously worked at Walliams’ publisher, HarperCollins, also made claims about arrangements involving visits to his home.
The publisher reportedly earned millions from Walliams’ children’s books.
The former employee alleged that there was an understanding among people working around the author that anyone visiting his property had to attend with another person rather than going alone.
The claim was among the accounts that emerged following the publication of the allegations.
BBC Reviews Programmes Featuring Walliams
The BBC has begun removing some programmes featuring Walliams, including Little Britain, as it reviews material involving the comedian across its platforms.
A BBC spokesperson confirmed that the organisation was examining all content featuring or written by him.
Walliams has also been dropped by his talent agency, ITG, following the emergence of the allegations.
Lucas and Walliams’ Professional Relationship
Lucas and Walliams first met in 1990 while attending the National Youth Theatre.
The pair reportedly connected through their shared reputation for being the funny ones in their respective groups.
Their partnership eventually produced Little Britain, which initially launched as a radio programme in 2000 before becoming a television series that ran from 2003 to 2006.
They also worked together on Come Fly With Me.
However, their friendship reportedly became strained during the Little Britain Live tour in 2005, with Lucas previously discussing difficulties in their relationship.
The pair ended their professional partnership in 2011 and remained out of contact until 2019, when they reunited for a Little Britain spin-off.
Walliams Responds to Allegations
In a statement provided to ITV News and The Guardian, Walliams acknowledged that he had sometimes behaved thoughtlessly towards women with whom he had casual sexual relationships.
He said he regretted not always considering their feelings and acknowledged that celebrity status could create an imbalance of power in personal relationships.
However, he rejected suggestions that he had abused that position or engaged in criminal behaviour.
Walliams maintained that he was not a sexual predator and had not broken the law, adding that he was devastated that some women he had encountered between 10 and 20 years ago had since expressed hurt or anger towards him.
