David Walliams, the British actor and comedian best known for his work in BBC series Little Britain, has been dropped by his publisher HarperCollins following misconduct allegations.
The Rupert Murdoch-owned publishing house said it had decided to part ways with Walliams following the appointment of Kate Elton as its UK CEO in October. Walliams has written several bestselling children’s books for the company, including Gangsta Granny and Mr Stink.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Walliams was the subject of an internal investigation last year regarding his alleged behavior towards junior female HarperCollins employees.
The newspaper reported that Walliams was accused of harassing the young women, with one staffer receiving a “five-figure payoff” after raising concerns. Former HarperCollins employees alleged that they were told to work with Walliams, 54, in “pairs” and were advised not to visit his home.
Deadline has approached Walliams for comment. In a statement to The Telegraph, his spokesperson 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.”
A HarperCollins spokesperson said: “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 is an established presence on British television and beyond, having created and co-starred in Little Britain with Matt Lucas in the noughties. They have made attempts to revive the BBC comedy and even spoke to Netflix about a new series in 2020.
Walliams has appeared in series, including Doctor Who and Agatha Christie adaptation Partners in Crime, and had roles in movies, including Murder Mystery and Stardust.
He served as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent for a decade alongside Simon Cowell, but left the show under a cloud after comments he made about contestants were leaked to The Guardian in 2022. In one example, he called someone a “c***.” Walliams later apologized for his comments.
Independent Talent Group represents Walliams’ literary interests, while YMU acts as his agent. His publicists are Moira Bellas and Barbara Charone at MBC.