The children’s author will not have any new titles published by HarperCollins following what it described as ‘careful consideration’ under new leadership
David Walliams has been axed by publisher HarperCollins after allegations that he harassed female staff members.
The children’s writer, 54, will no longer have any fresh titles released by the publishing house after what it termed “careful consideration” under new management.
The former Britain’s Got Talent panellist was accused of “harassing” female workers at the publishing house, as reported by The Telegraph.
One woman who voiced concerns reportedly departed the company. This development follows major changes at the company’s senior level, reports the Express.
HarperCollins’ previous chief executive Charlie Redmayne resigned unexpectedly in October, with Kate Elton assuming the role as interim leader.
It is believed Walliams was unaware that an inquiry had been conducted and was not shown its conclusions.
A HarperCollins spokesperson confirmed the move, stating: “After careful consideration, and under the leadership of its new CEO, HarperCollins UK has decided not to publish any new titles by David Walliams. The author is aware of this decision.
“HarperCollins takes employee wellbeing extremely seriously and has processes in place for reporting and investigating concerns. To respect the privacy of individuals we do not comment on internal matters.”
Walliams initially gained recognition over two decades ago via Little Britain, before transforming himself into a children’s author in 2008. Since that time, he has penned over 40 books and collections of short stories, with sales exceeding 60 million copies worldwide.
Walliams departed Britain’s Got Talent following leaked transcripts that revealed inappropriate remarks he made about contestants during London Palladium auditions in early 2020.
Walliams subsequently issued an apology, expressing regret for the “disrespectful comments” and maintaining they formed part of a private discussion that was “never intended to be shared”.
Concerns had also reportedly been raised at HarperCollins. In 2023, a junior member of staff flagged concerns regarding Walliams’ behaviour, sparking a formal probe that included staff interviews and involvement from at least one internal legal counsel.
The investigation wrapped up in 2024.
A spokesperson for David Walliams 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.”
