what did david walliams do

David Walliams has recently been accused of inappropriate behaviour towards junior female staff at his publisher HarperCollins, which then decided to stop publishing any new books by him, but he strongly denies the allegations. There has also been wider backlash over past remarks and sketches, including leaked derogatory comments about TV show contestants and criticism of older comedy work as offensive or racist.

Recent allegations and publisher split

• In late 2025 HarperCollins UK announced it would not publish any new titles by David Walliams after an internal inquiry into complaints from a junior employee.

• Reports say the inquiry led to measures limiting contact between Walliams and some staff, such as advising women to attend meetings in pairs and avoid visiting his home.

• One woman who raised concerns reportedly left the company with a five‑figure settlement, though the publisher has declined to comment on specific internal matters.

Walliams’ response

• A spokesperson for Walliams says he was never told of any allegations by HarperCollins, was not interviewed as part of any investigation, and had no chance to respond.

• He strongly denies behaving inappropriately and is said to be taking legal advice following the publisher’s decision and the media coverage of the claims.

Other controversies in the background

• In 2022 he left Britain’s Got Talent after leaked recordings showed him making disparaging remarks about contestants during filming, which sparked public criticism.

• A story from one of his children’s books, “Brian Wong, Who Was Never, Ever Wrong,” was withdrawn after a campaign arguing it relied on casual racist stereotypes, adding to concerns about his past material.

• More recently, reports claimed he performed Nazi salutes during the taping of a 2025 BBC Christmas special of “Would I Lie to You?”, and the BBC said that footage would not be broadcast.

Impact on his career and current status

• Walliams has been one of the U.K.’s biggest children’s authors, with tens of millions of books sold and a huge share of HarperCollins’ children’s revenue over the past decade.

• Since the allegations and controversies intensified, his book sales have reportedly fallen sharply, and events such as a major Waterstones children’s festival have removed him from their line‑ups.

• Online forums and social media now discuss him heavily as a “cancelled” figure, often comparing him to other disgraced entertainers, even though, as of now, the public information centres on internal complaints, reputational damage and civil‑style settlements rather than any criminal conviction.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.