David Walliams has been pulled from a Waterstones children’s book festival amid allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
The comedian-turned-author will no longer appear at the bookseller’s annual children’s festival in February, with Waterstones confirming his removal on Sunday.
The decision follows a move by his publisher, Harper Collins, which dropped Walliams on Friday after claims were made about his conduct towards young women.
He is alleged to have harassed a female employee at the publishing house, who later left with a five-figure settlement.
Walliams, 54, was not informed of the allegations at the time and has denied any wrongdoing.
He had been due to appear on February 7 at the Dundee stop of Waterstones’ festival, where he was scheduled to host an hour-long talk and Q&A described as ‘a family event with David Walliams’.
Over the weekend, customers attempting to buy tickets online reported problems, with error messages appearing when they tried to book for the event.
Waterstones later confirmed that Walliams would no longer be taking part. A spokesman for the chain said: ‘HarperCollins have confirmed that David Walliams will no longer be appearing at our festival in Dundee.’
His name has since been removed from the festival’s list of speakers.
Having sold more than 60 million copies in 55 languages, some of his other books, including Gangsta Granny and Billionaire Boy, have also been adapted into television films
For all the efforts of the people who tried to protect him, Walliams’s behaviour has been one of the biggest open secrets in the industry
On its website, Waterstones says the children’s book festival brings together ‘bestselling and beloved children’s authors’ for a ‘family-friendly celebration’.
The retailer also appears to have altered how Walliams’s books are presented in stores.
At its Victoria branch in London, his titles were still on sale, but a promotional card describing him as an ‘author of loads of laugh-aloud funny children’s books’ was taken down over the weekend.
Several independent bookshops around the UK have also reportedly removed his books from display following the allegations.
The BBC has said it has severed ties with Walliams, confirming there are ‘no future projects directly involving him’. However, adaptations of his children’s books Mr Stink and The Boy in the Dress were broadcast on Sunday.
An episode of the panel show Would I Lie to You?, featuring Walliams as a guest, is also due to air on Boxing Day.
The broadcaster is additionally understood to have commissioned an animated adaptation of one of his books, although Walliams will not be directly involved in its development or production.
Walliams has been one of the most commercially successful children’s authors in the UK, often releasing two novels a year.
Industry publications have previously reported that he accounted for 44 per cent of Harper Collins’s UK children’s sales in 2018.
David Walliams has faced a downturn over the past few years, despite being one of Britain’s most successful children’s authors
He was awarded an OBE in 2017 for services to charity and the arts, but his career has also been marked by controversy.
In 2022, he apologised after being recorded making sexually explicit comments about a Britain’s Got Talent contestant and calling another a c***.
He left the judging panel of the show that year and later took legal action against the production company over the leak, reaching a settlement in 2023.
Harper Collins’s decision to cut ties came shortly after the abrupt exit of its chief executive, Charlie Redmayne, in October. He was replaced on an interim basis by Kate Elton.
On Friday, Walliams’s agent said: ‘David has never been informed of any allegations raised against him by Harper Collins.
‘He was not party to any investigation or given any opportunity to answer questions. David strongly denies that he has behaved inappropriately and is taking legal advice.’
His representatives have been approached for comment.
