Children’s author and comedian David Walliams has been dropped from the Waterstones Children’s Book Festival following his publisher HarperCollins’ decision to cut ties amid allegations of harassment. HarperCollins made the announcement last week after conducting an internal investigation related to claims that Walliams had “harassed” young women. Walliams has firmly denied any inappropriate behaviour.
Waterstones confirmed the removal in a statement: “HarperCollins have confirmed that David Walliams will no longer be appearing at our festival in Dundee.” The festival itself will take place across three locations, including Lincoln, which hosted the inaugural event earlier this year, and Taunton, scheduled for next spring.
Previously, Walliams was listed as one of the featured speakers, but his name has since been removed from the official festival website. Known for his roles in television comedies such as Little Britain and Come Fly With Me, Walliams is also a celebrated children’s author with over 60 million books sold globally, according to HarperCollins.
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Following a “careful consideration,” HarperCollins stated it will no longer publish any new titles by Walliams. The publisher emphasized its commitment to employee wellbeing and stated: “To respect the privacy of individuals, we do not comment on internal matters.”
Walliams’ literary works include The Boy In The Dress, Fing, and Gangsta Granny, the latter adapted into a BBC special in 2013 and a sequel in 2022 starring Sheridan Smith. He was also a judge on Britain’s Got Talent from 2012 until his departure in 2022, following an apology for making “disrespectful comments” about contestants during breaks in filming. In 2023, Britain’s Got Talent producer Fremantle issued an apology and reached an amicable settlement with Walliams after leaked remarks.
Walliams has been pursuing legal action against Fremantle for misuse of private information and alleged breaches of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018. He was honored with an OBE in 2017 for services to the arts and charity, having raised £2 million for Sport Relief with a 140-mile swim along the River Thames.
Earlier this year, reports surfaced regarding Walliams making Nazi salutes during filming of the BBC panel show Would I Lie To You?. Walliams has been approached for comment regarding his removal from the festival.
A spokesperson stated: “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.”