Comedian and children's author David Walliams has issued a firm denial following allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards women, which emerged as his long-time publisher HarperCollins confirmed it has cut ties with him.
Publisher Severs Ties Amid Unspecified Claims
The publishing giant announced on 19 December 2025 that it would no longer release new titles by the former Britain's Got Talent judge. A spokesperson for HarperCollins UK stated the decision was made "after careful consideration, and under the leadership of its new CEO."
The publisher emphasised its commitment to employee wellbeing, adding: "HarperCollins takes employee wellbeing extremely seriously and has processes in place for reporting and investigating concerns." They declined to comment further on what they termed "internal matters."
Walliams's Forceful Denial and Legal Threat
Responding swiftly, a spokesperson for the 54-year-old star delivered a statement to the PA news agency, in which Walliams categorically denied any wrongdoing. The statement revealed he was never formally informed of any allegations by the publisher.
"David has never been informed of any allegations raised against him by HarperCollins," the spokesperson said. "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."
The allegations reportedly involve claims of harassment made by junior female employees at the publisher, with whom Walliams had a successful run of bestselling children's books.
A Pattern of Controversy and Previous Apologies
This controversy arrives three years after Walliams's departure from ITV's Britain's Got Talent in November 2022. His exit followed the leak of a transcript containing derogatory and sexually explicit remarks he made about contestants during breaks in filming for the 2020 series.
In one instance, he referred to a contestant as "a c**t," while in another he said of a female hopeful, "she thinks you want to f**k her, but you don't."
Walliams apologised at the time, calling the comments "private conversations" never meant to be public. The production company, Thames, called his language "inappropriate" and said those involved had been reminded of their professional responsibilities.
Subsequently, Walliams launched a High Court legal action against Fremantle, the maker of BGT, alleging a major breach of data protection laws for recording and retaining his private conversations for a decade. Legal documents claimed the fallout led him to experience dark, suicidal thoughts.
Fremantle expressed surprise at the lawsuit, stating they remained "open to dialogue" but were prepared to defend themselves robustly.
The latest allegations and the loss of his publishing deal mark a significant new chapter in the ongoing professional challenges facing the once-ubiquitous television personality.
