David Walliams, a renowned British children’s author and comedian, has refuted claims of improper conduct following his dismissal by publisher HarperCollins.
At 54, Walliams has established himself as one of the UK’s top-selling children’s authors and was formerly a judge on the popular TV program Britain’s Got Talent.
On Friday, HarperCollins issued a statement saying, “After careful consideration under the guidance of our new CEO, HarperCollins UK has chosen not to release any new works by David Walliams. The author has been informed of this decision.”
A representative for Walliams responded, stating that he “has never been notified of any accusations made against him by HarperCollins.”
The statement continued, “He was neither involved in any investigation nor given the chance to respond to inquiries. David firmly denies any misconduct and is seeking legal counsel.”
The publisher has opted not to provide further comments on the matter to protect the privacy of those involved.
“HarperCollins takes employee wellbeing extremely seriously and has processes in place for reporting and investigating concerns,” it said.
Walliams has published over 40 children’s books and sold more than 60 million copies worldwide, according to his website. Several of them, including Gangsta Granny, have been adapted into a BBC comedy dramas and stage productions.
Walliams left his role as judge on Britain’s Got Talent in 2022 after apologising for making “disrespectful comments” about auditioning contestants.
