The BBC has publicly stated it has no plans to work with comedian and children's author David Walliams on any future projects. This announcement comes in the wake of his publisher, HarperCollins, deciding to sever ties with him following allegations of misconduct.
Publisher and Broadcaster Distance Themselves
HarperCollins confirmed it would no longer publish new books by the 54-year-old former Britain's Got Talent judge. A spokesperson for the publishing giant cited "careful consideration" under its new CEO as the reason for ending the working relationship. They emphasised the company takes employee wellbeing "extremely seriously" but declined to comment further on internal matters.
Following this development, the BBC moved to clarify its position. A corporation spokesperson said: "While we're not making changes to festive schedules, we have no future projects directly involving David Walliams." This indicates a clear distancing from the star for any new collaborations, while honouring existing broadcast commitments.
Walliams Denies Wrongdoing and Considers Legal Action
David Walliams has vehemently denied all allegations against him. A statement issued on his behalf to the PA news agency asserted that he was never informed of any specific claims by HarperCollins, was not part of any investigation, and was given no opportunity to respond to questions.
The statement read: "David strongly denies that he has behaved inappropriately and is taking legal advice." This sets the stage for a potential legal dispute following his dismissal by the publisher.
Pre-Recorded Shows to Air Despite Fallout
Despite the rupture with his publisher and the BBC's stance on future work, Walliams is still scheduled to appear on BBC One on Boxing Day. He will feature in a pre-recorded Christmas special of the panel show Would I Lie To You?. The broadcaster has, however, confirmed it will edit out two comedy Nazi salutes he performed during filming, which were intended "as part of a joke".
Furthermore, CBBC will still air television adaptations of his popular books, Mr Stink and The Boy in the Dress, as previously planned. These decisions highlight the complex nature of managing pre-existing content amidst contemporary allegations.
This controversy follows Walliams's departure from Britain's Got Talent in November 2022. He left the show after a transcript from the 2020 series was leaked, revealing he had made derogatory and sexually explicit remarks about contestants during filming breaks. At the time, he apologised for these "disrespectful comments," stating they were private conversations never meant to be shared.
The BBC has stated it will not comment further beyond confirming the lack of forthcoming projects with the comedian.
