Alton Towers has confirmed it is closing the World of David Walliams after just five years. The area of the theme park, which featured Gangsta Granny: The Ride, opened in May 2021.
The collaboration between the park and the children's author was first announced in 2019, with the resort saying the area would bring his best-selling books to life with new rides created around his stories.
Ride features and closure
The ride featured state-of-the-art special effects, 3D projection-mapping and animation, all inspired by the artwork of Tony Ross, who illustrated Gangsta Granny and other Walliams' books.
Merlin Entertainments, which operates the Staffordshire park, has confirmed the area has been axed, with the Gangsta Granny themed hotel rooms also being rethemed as part of the closure.
A spokesperson said: "As the 2026 peak season at Alton Towers Resort comes to an end and following our regular review of rides and attractions across the resort, we have taken the decision to permanently close the World of David Walliams."
Future plans and context
The company says the closure came as part of its annual planning process and that it regularly assesses all elements of the park's offering, especially at the end of a season. It said it will announce plans for the future use of the area once these are confirmed.
The news follows the comedian and author being dropped by his book publisher HarperCollins last year. The decision was made following an investigation into allegations he had 'harassed' young women, the Telegraph reported. A spokesperson for Walliams said he had never been informed of any allegations raised against him by HarperCollins and 'strongly denies he behaved inappropriately'.
The former Britain's Got Talent star wrote a number of children's books including The Boy In The Dress, Fing, Demon Dentist, The Midnight Gang, Mr Stink, Billionaire Boy, Grandpa's Great Escape and Bad Dad.
