The mystery celebrity who spent weeks fighting to keep his name secret amid explosive sexual misconduct allegations has finally been unmasked ... and it's author David Walliams.
The popular British children's book author was previously identified only as
"PPT" in court proceedings ... as he battled to stop two major news outlets from revealing his identity and publishing allegations against him. Walliams is also an actor and comedian who starred in the BBC sketch series "Little Britain" and "Come Fly With Me."
As TMZ previously reported ... the celebrity was accused of using his fame and influence to pursue inappropriate and exploitative sexual relationships with numerous girls and young women over the years ... allegations he has denied.
In an hour-long documentary released by ITN, a woman identified as "Alex" recalls meeting Walliams at a "Little Britain" signing in London in 2004 ... when she was just 15 and he was 32. She claims he immediately called her attractive and stared intensely into her eyes.
Another woman alleges Walliams sexually assaulted her at his home when she was 15 ... claiming he kissed her, lifted her shirt and touched her breast with his mouth before attempting to put her hand down his pants. She says she pulled away and told him no.
We also first reported, prior to his identity being revealed, Walliams was pulled from an upcoming UK film project, with a source close to production for "The Road to Nevermore" telling TMZ he was removed from the project after the allegations surfaced and scrubbed from their IMDb profile.
His attorneys argued that making the allegations public could have deadly consequences ... warning he was at serious risk of dying by suicide if his name was revealed.
But lawyers for ITN and The Guardian pushed back ... arguing the allegations were too important to keep hidden and that his mental health concerns should be addressed by medical professionals, not by silencing the press.
Tuesday morning, Judge Matthew Nicklin rejected the celebrity's attempt to block publication ... though his identity remained protected temporarily while a possible appeal was considered.
The legal battle also sparked a wave of online speculation ... prompting Nicklin to warn the public against trying to identify the mystery man, with anyone violating the court order potentially facing jail time.
Now, after weeks of secrecy and courtroom drama ... the mystery surrounding his identity is finally over.
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