David Walliams’ back catalogue dropped by book publisher HarperCollins after ‘inappropriate conduct’ claims

David Walliams’ book back catalogue has reportedly been dropped by publisher HarperCollins, following claims of “inappropriate conduct”. The actor, comedian and writer has written 23 children’s books, all of which were published by HarperCollins. They have sold over 60million copies worldwide, with several of them being adapted for TV. These include his 2008 debut novel, The Boy In The Dress, 2010’s Billionaire Boy, and 2021’s Gangsta Granny Strikes Again!. Now, it is being reported that HarperCollins is set to phase out remaining copies of Walliams’ books. This follows the company announcing in late 2025 that it would not release any new titles by the Little Britain star after “careful consideration”. HarperCollins has now confirmed that it has dropped Walliams’s backlist, per The Bookseller. The outlet claimed that the publisher would gradually phase out stock of Walliams’s books in shops, as well as e-book and audio versions available online. Walliams is yet to comment on the new report. However, a representative for the writer issued a statement in December 2025, reading: “David strongly denies that he has behaved inappropriately and is taking legal advice.” They said the writer had “never been informed of any allegations raised against him by HarperCollins”, adding: “He was not party to any investigation or given any opportunity to answer questions.”Recommended HarperCollins said at the time that it had “processes in place for reporting and investigating concerns” about the wellbeing of their employees. “To respect the privacy of individuals, we do not comment on internal matters,” it continued. Shortly afterwards, the Waterstones Children’s Book Festival axed Walliams from its line-up (via The Independent). Walliams, 55, rose to fame in the early 2000s as the co-creator and star of the BBC sketch show Little Britain alongside Matt Lucas, and was a judge on Britain’s Got Talent from 2012 until 2022. He made his exit from the ITV show after apologising over a recording that emerged of him making “disrespectful” comments towards contestants. The comedian subsequently sued BGT’s production company FremantleMedia for the leaking of the private remarks, and the dispute was settled in late 2023.