Children's author and television personality David Walliams has been dropped by his long-time publisher, HarperCollins UK, following an internal investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards junior female staff.
Publisher Severs Ties After Investigation
According to a report by the Telegraph, the publishing giant, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, has decided not to publish any new titles by the bestselling author. This decision follows complaints that Walliams had harassed junior female employees at the company.
The publisher reportedly launched an internal inquiry after a junior employee made a formal complaint in 2023. Sources indicate that following this investigation, measures were implemented to limit contact between Walliams and certain staff members. These steps included ensuring some employees did not work directly with him, advising them to attend meetings in pairs, and discouraging visits to his home.
Walliams was reportedly not informed about the HarperCollins investigation while it was ongoing, and its findings were not formally presented to him. The decision to cut ties came after a change in leadership, with former chief executive Charlie Redmayne stepping down in October 2024 and being replaced on an interim basis by Kate Elton.
Complaints and a Settlement
One woman who raised concerns is understood to have left HarperCollins after reaching a settlement that included a five-figure payout. A spokesperson for HarperCollins UK confirmed the move in a statement, saying: “After careful consideration, and under the leadership of its new CEO, HarperCollins UK has decided not to publish any new titles by David Walliams.”
Walliams, 54, rose to fame as the co-creator and star of the hit BBC comedy Little Britain before becoming a household name as a judge on ITV's Britain's Got Talent for a decade. He reinvented himself as a children's author in 2008, achieving phenomenal success with more than 40 books and short story collections. By 2019, it was estimated he had sold £100m worth of books.
A Series of Controversies
This is not the first controversy to surround the comedian and author in recent years. In 2022, he left his role on Britain's Got Talent after the Guardian published a leaked transcript from 2020 auditions in which he made crude and derogatory remarks about contestants. Walliams apologised for those comments at the time.
His children's books have also faced criticism for their use of stereotypes. In 2021, a story titled Brian Wong, Who Was Never, Ever Wrong, which featured a Chinese boy, was removed from his book The World's Worst Children.
The Guardian has contacted a spokesperson for David Walliams for comment on the latest allegations and the publisher's decision.
