Schools and retailers are distancing themselves from David Walliams' books following sexual misconduct and grooming allegations made public on Tuesday. The 55-year-old former comedian was named as the subject of a joint investigation by The Guardian and ITV after he unsuccessfully attempted to obtain a High Court injunction to prevent the allegations from being published.
Walliams, who denies the allegations, is accused of messaging teenage girls and abusing his position of power. As a result, his books have started disappearing from shelves.
Schools and Councils Respond
Collingwood Boys' School in Wallington, south London, where Walliams was a pupil, is reviewing whether to remove his books from its library. Retailers are also reconsidering stocking his titles.
Camden in north London confirmed that Walliams' children's books, as well as his memoir Camp David, would not be on public display in its libraries. A Camden Council spokesperson said: 'We are committed to making Camden a safer place for women and girls, to challenging harmful attitudes, and promoting healthy relationships. Following these allegations, we believe the most appropriate action is to remove these books from display.'
However, Kent Council confirmed they had 'no plans' to remove Walliams' titles, stating: 'The starting point is that books should be available to readers unless their content is unlawful. Collections are regularly reviewed and refreshed to reflect factors such as reader demand, condition and relevance of stock.'
Author's Career and Allegations
Walliams has written 23 books, which have sold more than 60 million copies and been translated into 55 languages worldwide. His titles include Gangsta Granny, The Boy in the Dress, Billionaire Boy, and Mr Stink.
The investigation into Walliams included an allegation from a worker at his former publisher, HarperCollins. One woman, referred to as Katie, claimed that a young woman showed her a series of 'gross' emails from Walliams, while she and another worker alleged managers avoided sending young female staff on their own to his flat.
In 2025, the publisher announced they were dropping Walliams following an internal inquiry two years prior over concerns about the author's conduct. In September 2026, HarperCollins officially terminated its entire publishing relationship with Walliams.
Walliams' Response
In a statement to The Guardian and ITV prior to his name being released, Walliams denied the allegations. He said: 'Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with. I realise I did not always take people's feelings properly into account. That is something I regret. And whilst a power imbalance is inevitable when one party is famous, abusing that power is something else entirely and it is something that I never did.'
He added: '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.'
