Acclaimed author David Walliams has been dropped by HarperCollins amid allegations of inappropriate conduct towards junior female staff. The 54-year-old, known for his children’s books, will not be releasing new works through the publisher, a decision reached after what HarperCollins described as “careful consideration” under its new leadership. The allegations, reported by The Telegraph, claim Walliams engaged in harassment, leading one woman to leave the company with a settlement reportedly in the five-figure range.

This development follows significant changes at HarperCollins, including the abrupt departure of former CEO Charlie Redmayne in October and the appointment of Kate Elton as interim leader. Interestingly, Walliams reportedly had no knowledge of the ongoing investigation or its conclusions. A HarperCollins spokesperson confirmed the decision, stating, “After thorough evaluation, and under the direction of our new CEO, HarperCollins UK has opted not to publish any more of David Walliams’ works. The author has been informed of this outcome.”

The spokesperson further emphasized the publisher’s commitment to employee welfare, noting, “At HarperCollins, the wellbeing of our staff is of utmost importance, and we have established procedures for addressing and investigating concerns. To protect individual privacy, we refrain from commenting on internal affairs.”

Walliams initially captured the public’s attention over two decades ago with his hit show Little Britain, before transitioning into a successful career as a children’s author in 2008.

Since embarking on his writing journey, he has penned over 40 books and short stories, achieving sales that exceed 60 million copies. In 2019 alone, estimates suggested that he and his publisher reached £100 million in book sales.

His titles are used widely in schools, translated into 55 languages and adapted for television by the BBC.

At his commercial peak, industry figures suggested he accounted for 44 per cent of HarperCollins’ UK children’s sales in 2018.

However, his television career has already stalled. Walliams left Britain’s Got Talent after a leaked transcript revealed he had made obscene comments about contestants during auditions at the London Palladium in early 2020. 

At the time, Walliams apologised, saying he wanted to apologise for the “disrespectful comments” and insisting they were part of a private conversation that was “never intended to be shared”.

Behind the scenes at HarperCollins, concerns were also mounting. In 2023, a junior employee raised issues about Walliams’ conduct, triggering a formal investigation involving interviews with staff and at least one in-house lawyer.

The inquiry concluded in 2024, with measures reportedly put in place to keep some junior employees away from the author. Former staff said they were advised to meet him only in pairs and not to visit his home.

Walliams’ popularity has also dipped. According to The Bookseller, his sales fell by more than 60 per cent over the summer, amid criticism that some of his work included “harmful stereotypes”.

In later editions of The World’s Worst Children, HarperCollins removed a character following claims of casual racism.