Bestselling children's author and television personality David Walliams has been removed from an upcoming Waterstones book festival, following a decision by his publisher HarperCollins to cut all ties with him. The move comes in the wake of allegations concerning his conduct towards junior female staff.
Festival Appearance Cancelled Following Publisher's Decision
Walliams was scheduled to appear at the Waterstones Children's Book Festival in Dundee on 7 February. However, his name has now been removed from the festival's online listings. A spokesperson for the bookselling chain confirmed the development, stating: "HarperCollins have confirmed that David Walliams will no longer be appearing at our festival in Dundee."
This action by Waterstones directly follows a significant announcement from Walliams's long-time publisher. On Friday, HarperCollins UK stated that, after careful consideration under its new CEO, it would not publish any new titles by the author. This decision was reportedly made after an internal investigation into complaints that Walliams had harassed young women working at the publishing house.
Allegations and Legal Response
According to reports, the investigation was prompted by complaints from junior female staff members. One woman who raised concerns is understood to have subsequently left HarperCollins after reaching a settlement that included a five-figure payout.
A spokesperson for David Walliams issued a strong denial in response to the allegations and the publisher's actions. The statement claimed the author had "never been informed of any allegations raised against him" by HarperCollins and was not given an opportunity to answer questions. The spokesperson added: "David strongly denies that he has behaved inappropriately and is taking legal advice."
Broadcasting Controversy and Future Projects
The news arrives as Walliams is still due to appear in a festive special of the BBC One panel show Would I Lie to You? on Boxing Day. This recording had previously attracted controversy when it emerged Walliams had made two Nazi salutes during filming. The BBC apologised to the audience at the time, and the production company stated the segment would never be broadcast.
When questioned about Walliams's future with the broadcaster following the recent allegations, a BBC spokesperson said: "While we're not making any changes to the festive schedules, we have no future projects directly involving David Walliams." Two of his popular book adaptations, Mr Stink and The Boy in the Dress, aired on CBBC as planned last Sunday.
The series of events marks a dramatic fall from grace for one of the UK's most commercially successful children's authors, whose future in publishing and broadcasting now appears uncertain.
