David Walliams No Longer Working with Publisher Following Misconduct Inquiry

David Walliams, the British actor and comedian renowned for his role in the BBC series Little Britain, has been dropped by his publisher HarperCollins amid misconduct allegations.

The Rupert Murdoch-owned publishing house announced its decision to sever ties with Walliams following the appointment of Kate Elton as UK CEO in October. Walliams has authored several bestselling children’s books for HarperCollins, including Gangsta Granny and Mr Stink.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Walliams was the subject of an internal investigation last year concerning his alleged behavior towards junior female employees at HarperCollins.

According to the publication, Walliams faced accusations of harassment, leading to a “five-figure payoff” for one staff member who raised concerns. Former employees stated they were advised to work with Walliams in “pairs” and were counseled against visiting his home.

Watch on Deadline

A HarperCollins spokesperson commented, “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.”

The spokesperson further emphasized, “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 holds a prominent place in British entertainment, having co-created and starred in Little Britain alongside Matt Lucas in the early 2000s. Attempts to revive the BBC comedy were made, with discussions about a new series with Netflix in 2020.

His television credits also include appearances in Doctor Who and Agatha Christie’s Partners in Crime, as well as roles in films like Murder Mystery and Stardust.

For a decade, Walliams served as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent alongside Simon Cowell. However, he departed the show under scrutiny after leaked comments made about contestants were reported by The Guardian in 2022, including an incident where he used a derogatory term. Walliams later issued an apology for his remarks.

Walliams’ literary interests are managed by the Independent Talent Group, while YMU serves as his agent. Public relations for Walliams are handled by Moira Bellas and Barbara Charone at MBC.