HarperCollins UK drops David Walliams amid allegations and internal review
Publisher cites internal matters in decision not to publish new Walliams titles; the move follows years of scrutiny and a 2023 investigation into his behavior.
HarperCollins UK has decided not to publish any new titles by David Walliams, the best-selling children’s author, following reports of inappropriate behavior toward junior female employees and the launch of an internal review last year. The Telegraph reported that Walliams was accused of harassing junior staff at the publisher, with one employee reportedly receiving a five-figure payout before leaving the company. HarperCollins declined to confirm the reasons behind its decision, saying only that it would not comment on internal matters.
Walliams, 54, has seen a significant downturn in his public profile in recent years despite selling more than 60 million copies of his books in 55 languages and having several titles adapted for television. He departed as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent in 2022 amid controversy over off-camera comments that surfaced in leaked audio. He later sued Fremantle, the production company behind the show, for misuse of private information and breaches of data laws; Fremantle apologized, and Walliams is believed to have received about £5 million. The upheaval coincides with a broader industry trend of re-evaluating relationships with high-profile figures who face serious accusations.
The publisher’s decision comes as Walliams has faced years of scrutiny and a steady erosion of his standing in showbusiness. He left Britain’s Got Talent in November 2022 after audio emerged of him making disparaging remarks about contestants off-camera. He publicly apologized but subsequently sued Fremantle for alleged privacy and data rights abuses; Fremantle settled, and Walliams is thought to have walked away with a sum in the vicinity of £5 million. In the aftermath, ITV talent bosses and other networks reportedly became reluctant to work with him, while some showbusiness figures have publicly distanced themselves from the once-dominant figure in children’s television.
Walliams’s representatives have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. His agent said: “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.” The company, for its part, has not elaborated on internal processes, stating only that it does not comment on internal matters. These statements reflect the ongoing tension between Walliams’s public persona and the newer caution surrounding notable figures facing formal or informal inquiries.
Industry insiders describe a climate in which Walliams’s relationship with some publishers and broadcasters has become fragile. Sources say that showbusiness reporters at The Sun were instructed to drop negative stories about Walliams, with both The Sun and HarperCollins reportedly under News UK ownership and sharing offices during the height of the controversy. Others note that Simon Cowell, who helped launch Walliams’s television career with Britain’s Got Talent in 2010, has distanced himself; Cowell no longer follows Walliams on social media and some colleagues avoid public associations with him.
The 2020 period also figures prominently in the narrative. A woman who claims a troubling encounter with Walliams in the early stages of his rise recounted to Katie Hind that she received aggressive legal correspondence from Schillings, the celebrity-law firm, warning her against speaking to the press and advising her to seek her own legal counsel. The letter emphasized privacy and warned of civil liability and damages, a document she described as chilling and silencing at the time. In reflection, Hind reported that the woman felt vindicated by Walliams’s recent professional fallout, though the broader implications of the allegations remain contested and unsettled within the industry.
Ex-wife Lara Stone, the mother of Walliams’s 12-year-old son Alf, has also been mentioned in conversations surrounding his personal life and public perception. Hind reports that Stone contacted the woman who spoke to her in 2020 to check on her well-being after Walliams invited the young woman to work experience at his firm and to accompany him to Britain’s Got Talent auditions. Stone’s involvement underscores the complexity of Walliams’s personal relationships amid a broader reckoning within entertainment.
Observers say the case illustrates a shift in how industry power dynamics are treated, with Walliams’s career serving as a cautionary tale about the lasting consequences of alleged misconduct, even for figures who built a vast body of work and a global fan base. While Walliams continues to deny wrongdoing and pursue legal avenues, the partnership with HarperCollins appears permanently altered, and his future output and appearances in major formats remain uncertain. The full impact on his legacy in children’s literature and television will depend on ongoing reporting, investigations, and any subsequent actions by publishers, networks, and regulators as the industry reassesses accountability for powerful figures.