David Walliams has been let go by his publisher, Harper Collins, following accusations of ‘inappropriate behavior’ towards female employees.
The 54-year-old is reportedly accused of ‘harassing’ junior women staff members within the company.
According to The Telegraph, a woman who voiced concerns about Walliams’ behavior received a settlement in the five-figure range and has since exited the company.
Walliams had previously faced criticism for allegedly making sexist comments during his tenure as a judge on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent.
New details have emerged today, revealing that he was also the subject of an internal investigation at Harper Collins last year.
A complaint from a junior employee reportedly triggered the inquiry, leading to interviews with various staff members.
Sources told the newspaper that the investigation led to several junior employees being kept away from the author and one being paid a settlement.
Former employees also described how they were advised to work in pairs when meeting with him and told not to visit his home.
David Walliams, 54, is accused of ‘harassing’ junior female employees at the firm, resulting in one staff member being offered a five-figure settlement
The children’s author has published more than 40 works which have been translated into 55 languages and sold more than 60 million copies
Allegations first emerged in 2023, prompting interviews with staff who worked with Mr Walliams, with the investigation reportedly involving an in-house lawyer.
But he is understood to have not been aware of the investigation at the time or been informed of its conclusions.
A spokesman for Harper Collins told the Telegraph: ‘After careful consideration, and under the leadership of its new CEO, HarperCollins UK has decided not to publish any new titles by David Walliams. The author is aware of this decision.
‘HarperCollins takes employee wellbeing extremely seriously and has processes in place for reporting and investigating concerns. To respect the privacy of individuals we do not comment on internal matters.’
The decision to drop Walliams comes after the departure of former CEO Charlie Redmayne in October.
The children’s author, who began writing books in 2008, has published more than 40 works which have been translated into 55 languages and sold more than 60 million copies.
Mr Walliams was once TV royalty, having had a decades-long career on screen and stage.
But things changed for the comedian after he left Britain’s Got Talent when vile sexual comments he made about female contestants emerged.
David Walliams and Lara Stone in 2010 at Hampton Court Palace. The pair divorced in 2015
Walliams with son Alfred as they celebrated World Book Day in 2023
In 2022, a leaked transcript revealed that he called one auditioning contestant a ‘c**’ and said of another: ‘she thinks you want to f*** her, but you don’t’.
The comments, made in January 2020 during auditions at the London Palladium, were picked up on the programme’s microphones.
Mr Walliams apologised at the time the comments became public and acknowledged they were ‘disrespectful’, adding they were part of a private conversation that was ‘never intended to be shared’.
He has not truly returned to primetime since, despite his books continuing to be a hit and reportedly making up more than 40 percent of revenue for Harper Collins children’s department.
The showbiz giant behind the show, Simon Cowell, is said to have since gone to great lengths to distance himself from Mr Walliams, with the pair ‘no longer on speaking terms at all’.
In June this year, it was reported the author made two Nazi salutes during a recording of the Christmas edition of the BBC’s comedy panel show Would I Lie To You?.
The comedian apparently ‘jokingly’ made the salutes while Call the Midwife actress Helen George was telling a story from her time on Strictly Come Dancing in 2015.
The host, Rob Brydon, condemned Walliams and reminded him that the show went out before the watershed.
However, as George continued to explain her Strictly story, Walliams is said to have made the gesture for a second time, this time with a sexual twist.
Walliams’s team captain, Lee Mack was said to have looked unimpressed while one audience member revealed the the salutes landed ‘awkwardly’.
The former Little Britain star is now said to be facing Christmas alone and aprt from his son, Alfred, 12.
He co-parents Alfred with ex-wife Lara Stone after the couple divorced in 2015 following a five-year marriage.
Mr Walliams remains single while ex Ms Stone has since found love with her property developer husband of four years, David Grievson.
Recent social media posts suggest he is currently enjoying a break in the Maldives.
Representatives for Mr Walliams have been contacted for comment.
