A video clip of Jonathan Ross joking about David Walliams going home with 15-year-olds has attracted renewed attention amid serious allegations against the latter. The footage, recorded nearly 22 years ago, has resurfaced following reports of several women accusing Walliams of inappropriate behaviour, including alleged grooming when they were teenagers.
Walliams has denied any wrongdoing. Ross has since addressed the controversial joke, insisting he was unaware of any alleged misconduct at the time.
Jonathan Ross's 2004 Joke Resurfaces
The footage shows Ross making the remark while presenting the British Comedy Awards in December 2004. Walliams and his comedy partner Matt Lucas were attending the ceremony after their television series, Little Britain, won the award for Best TV Comedy.
During his speech, Ross joked about the awards ceremony celebrating its 15th anniversary, comparing the event to a teenager. 'The comedy awards is 15 years old – 15 years old! And like most 15-year-olds, it's drunk, it's unpredictable and it's probably going home with David Walliams', he said.
Walliams, who was sitting in the audience, was seen laughing at the remark. Little did he know that the footage would reemerge years later in a much more serious context.
Jonathan Ross: “The comedy awards is 15 years old… and like most 15-year-olds, it's drunk, it's unpredictable, and it's probably going home with David Walliams.”
— James Spiro (@JamesSpiro) November 10, 2026
Everyone knew. Just like they did with Russell Brand. pic.twitter.com/gA9UGXEk5q
Allegations Against David Walliams
The resurfaced clip comes after investigations by The Guardian and ITV News. Both publications detailed allegations from several women about Walliams' behaviour. One woman, identified as Alex, alleged that Walliams contacted her in 2004 after meeting her at a fan event.
She was 15 at the time, while the comedian was 32. Alex claimed that their relationship later became sexual when she was 17, with the pair allegedly having sex in 2006.
Another woman, identified as Jade, described meeting Walliams when she was 15. She alleged: 'It wasn't long until he asked me if I'd ever had sex before'. Jade further claimed that Walliams later kissed and touched her sexually without her consent after inviting her to his home.
David Walliams pictured at celebrity event with 'vulnerable teen who he groomed' https://t.co/JH2A5JZjQe pic.twitter.com/qloGgLMlEi
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) November 10, 2026
The investigation also included accounts from women who alleged that Walliams used his celebrity status to pursue younger fans and engaged in inappropriate workplace behaviour. The allegations span several years and include claims of grooming, sexual misconduct and harassment.
Walliams has strongly denied the accusations and rejected suggestions that he is a sexual predator. In a statement, he acknowledged that he had sometimes behaved thoughtlessly towards women with whom he had casual sexual relationships. However, he denied abusing his position or breaking the law.
Ross Addresses Controversial Remarks
Following the renewed attention, Ross addressed the resurfaced footage and explained the circumstances surrounding the joke. According to The Independent, Ross said he did not write the remark himself as it was submitted by the British Comedy Awards' scriptwriting team.
Ross said he believed the punchline referred to Walliams having publicly dated younger women and was exaggerated for comic effect. He also acknowledged that the joke was inappropriate, saying he would not make a similar remark today.
'I recognise how deeply shocking it is to revisit footage of a joke delivered by me at the Comedy Awards in 2004, in which I make light of the notion of Walliams going home with a 15-year-old', he said.
Ross added that he would have refused to deliver the joke had he suspected it referred to actual events. He also said he would not have continued a personal or professional relationship with Walliams if he had known about the alleged behaviour.
