David Walliams is thought to have a net worth of around £17 million, built through his television work, books and commercial partnerships. Many of those deals have now ended in light of allegations against him.
The 55-year-old rose to fame writing and starring in the BBC sketch show Little Britain with Matt Lucas, and later served as a judge on Britain's Got Talent (BGT) for a decade.
Walliams is facing claims from multiple women of sexually inappropriate behaviour when they were teenagers. A three-year investigation by the Guardian and ITV News claimed he abused his power for sexual purposes on multiple occasions with teens and other women.
Allegations and response
The investigation features a number of women telling how Walliams allegedly preyed on them, with one claiming he first started contacting her when she was 15. He has been accused of using his celebrity status to prey on vulnerable teenagers and young women for sex.
In a letter to journalists working on the investigation, Walliams said: "I am not a sexual predator. I have not broken the law, but I am devastated that some of the women I met 10 to 20 years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me."
Little Britain and BGT career
Walliams first came to fame with Little Britain, which he made with Matt Lucas. The show ran from 2003 to 2009, had three series and 44 episodes. It was pulled from various UK streaming services due to its use of blackface, and some characters were cut when the BBC reuploaded it two years later.
Walliams and Lucas then created the TV mockumentary Come Fly With Me in 2010, which was later also similarly edited.
The 55-year-old joined Britain's Got Talent as a judge in April 2012 and worked on the show for 10 years. It has previously been reported that his rate was £1.5 million per series. He left the show in 2022 after he was found to have made sexually explicit and derogatory remarks towards some contestants.
Book sales and dropped deals
Walliams has written more than 45 books and published his first novel, The Boy in the Dress, in 2008. Most were kids' books, and from 2013 he produced two to four each year. Nearly all were published through HarperCollins. In 2012, the publisher announced he had sold more than 60 million books globally in 55 languages.
In 2019, Walliams joined a list of famous authors, including Harry Potter's JK Rowling, who had made more than £100 million from book sales.
Walliams was dropped by HarperCollins in December 2025, which said "after careful consideration" it would not be publishing any new titles. The decision came after a Telegraph investigation into allegations he had "harassed" young women. A statement from HarperCollins said: "After careful consideration, and under the leadership of its new CEO, HarperCollins UK has decided not to publish any new titles by David Walliams. The author is aware of this decision."
A statement from a spokesperson, in December, said: "David has never been informed of any allegations raised against him by HarperCollins. He was not party to any investigation or given any opportunity to answer questions. David strongly denies that he has behaved inappropriately and is taking legal advice."
Shortly after being dropped by HarperCollins, Walliams was also dropped from his appearance at the Waterstones Children's Book Festival in Dundee.
Alton Towers attraction closed
Alton Towers theme park opened a World Of David Walliams attraction in 2021, featuring rides inspired by the author's children's books, including Gangsta Granny: The Ride, Raj's Bouncy Bottom Burp and The Royal Carousel, as well as Raj's Shop and The Burger Kitchen.
The theme park permanently closed the attraction last week. A statement on the theme park's website said: "The World Of David Walliams will be permanently closed from Tuesday November 3 2026."
A spokesperson for Merlin Entertainments added: "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."
