David Walliams, the children’s author and comedian, has been removed from the line-up for the Waterstones Children’s Book Festival following allegations of inappropriate behaviour
02:50, 24 Dec 2025Updated 06:28, 24 Dec 2025
David Walliams has been removed from the line-up for the Waterstones Children’s Book Festival(Image: ITV)
Comedian David Walliams feared his “very bad taste” WhatsApp messages could emerge just months before he was axed by his publisher.
It has emerged the 54-year-old star made the four-word admission — “it does worry me” — during a cybersecurity event in February, months before he was dropped by his publisher HarperCollins following allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards female staff.
Mr Walliams, also a children’s author, is alleged to have harassed employees at the publishing house, and it is said that one woman later left the company with a five-figure settlement after raising concerns. The comedian was not informed of the allegations at the time and has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
But a leaked recording now shows the Little Britain creator said at the small convention in February that he feared his “poor taste” messages could emerge. Mr Williams admitted to the crowd in Trafford, Manchester, he frequently shares “very bad taste jokes” with other high profile celebrity comedians and friends and has worries they could be brought into the public spotlight.
And now he has suffered blows to his career as, following the axe by HarperCollins, he has been ditched from Waterstones Children’s Book Festival. The writer will not appear at the event in Dundee, Scotland, in February next year.
READ MORE: David Walliams suffers another career blow after publisher axeREAD MORE: David Walliams crumbling life and lonely Xmas after being dropped by publisher
The comedian was a judge on Britain’s Got Talent between 2012 and 2022(Image: ITV)
According to the Daily Mail, Mr Walliams told the cybersecurity event in February: “Imagine if all my WhatsApp messages came out….there’s bad taste jokes with friends, other comedians. Very bad taste comments and jokes all the time. You may notice the kind of things you share with each other are often in quite poor taste and I can’t imagine it isn’t just me, right?
“People send you bizarre things. And I just imagine if all that comes up. You have different jokes with different people, don’t you? I mean, my mom, I wouldn’t send her some of the stuff that you know certain friends do… It does worry me.”
Although he referenced things that were in “quite poor taste,” the London-born comedian didn’t specify the exact nature of such messages.
The TV star appeared in comedy shows, including Come Fly With Me and Little Britain alongside Matt Lucas, and since found further success in writing for children. Mr Walliams’ books have sold more than 60 million copies globally, according to the HarperCollins website.
But last week, the publisher said that “after careful consideration”, they would not be releasing any new titles from Mr Walliams, who has a 12-year-old son with then wife Lara Stone. He and Lara, a model, divorced two years later.
A spokesperson for Mr Walliams said in a statement on Friday: “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.”