Children's author David Walliams has been removed from the lineup of the Waterstones Children's Book Festival following allegations of inappropriate behavior. The decision came after his publisher, HarperCollins, cut ties with the 54-year-old comedian and former Britain's Got Talent judge last week.
Waterstones confirmed that Walliams would no longer appear at the festival in Dundee. A spokesperson told the BBC: «HarperCollins have confirmed that David Walliams will no longer be appearing at our festival in Dundee.» The author's name has been removed from the festival website's speaker list.
HarperCollins announced its decision not to publish any new titles by Walliams. The publisher stated it takes employee wellbeing «extremely seriously» and has «processes in place for reporting and investigating concerns.» The company added: «To respect the privacy of individuals we do not comment on internal matters.»
Walliams Denies Allegations
A spokesperson for Walliams issued a strong denial of all claims. The author has «never been informed of any allegations raised against him,» according to his representative. The spokesperson added: «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 Telegraph had reported that a junior colleague complained about Walliams' conduct. Former employees of a publishing company claimed they were advised to work in pairs when meeting him and told not to visit his home.
BBC Confirms No Future Projects
The BBC confirmed that Walliams' pre-recorded appearance on "Would I Lie To You?" will air as planned on Boxing Day. A BBC spokesperson stated: «While we're not making any changes to the festive schedules, we have no future projects directly involving David Walliams.»
The broadcaster faced calls to pull the episode after reports emerged that Walliams performed Nazi salutes during recording earlier this year. The incident reportedly shocked host Rob Brydon and celebrity panellists Jools Holland and Helen George.
Previous Controversies
Walliams left Britain's Got Talent in 2022 after making «disrespectful comments» about contestants during filming in January 2020. Leaked transcripts revealed he called one contestant a «c***» and said of another: «She thinks you want to f*** her, but you don't.»
He apologized, saying the remarks were «never intended to be shared.» Walliams sued production company FremantleMedia over the leaked comments and reached an «amicable resolution» in November 2023.
Publishing Success
Walliams has sold an estimated 60 million books worldwide across more than 40 titles. HarperCollins published his first children's book, "The Boy in the Dress," in 2008. His works have been translated into 55 languages.
Several of his books have been adapted for television, including "Gangsta Granny," "Billionaire Boy," and "Mr Stink." His most recent book, "Santa & Son," was published by HarperCollins in October.
The Waterstones Children's Book Festival, described as «a family-friendly celebration of stories and illustration, highlighting the joys of reading, writing, and drawing,» takes place at venues in Dundee, Lincoln, and Taunton.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
