BBC under pressure to axe David Walliams’ shows over alleged behaviour

The BBC has refused to drop David Walliams from its Christmas schedule despite pledging to cut ties with him.

Walliams, who is one of the country’s most successful children’s authors, was dropped by his publisher HarperCollins on Friday following a Telegraph investigation into alleged inappropriate behaviour towards young women.

David Walliams at the London film festival in London in October.Credit: Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP

He was accused of harassing a female member of staff at the firm. The employee subsequently left with a five-figure payout.

Following the allegations, the BBC announced it was planning no future projects with the former Little Britain star. But the corporation will broadcast an episode of the panel show Would I Lie To You? on Boxing Day, with Walliams appearing as a guest. The BBC is also set to show two adaptations of his children’s books, Mr Stink and The Boy in the Dress, on December 21.

One MP questioned the wisdom of continuing to broadcast program featuring the star or promoting his work. He said: “Innocent until proven guilty. But with the BBC’s record for getting it wrong, it probably would be better being safe than sorry.”

The Christmas edition of Would I Lie To You? had already been criticised after it emerged that Walliams gave two Nazi salutes during the recording. The BBC apologised over the incident and deleted the scene from the episode.

Walliams has become a bestselling children’s author.Credit: AP

Other Walliams adaptations currently available on iPlayer include Gangsta Granny, The Midnight Gang, Billionaire Boy, and Grandpa’s Great Escape.

It is understood there are no plans to remove any of that material from the iPlayer, despite the furore enveloping the 54-year-old.

One of Walliams’ most popular children’s books, Fing, is currently being adapted for the big screen in a production co-funded by Sky. Filming is taking place in Brisbane, Australia, and Walliams is listed as an executive producer on the movie.

Published in 2019, Fing follows the story of two librarians who will do anything to keep their daughter happy. When she demands a ‘Fing’, they embark on a mission to work out what one is and then travel to the furthest corners of the jungle to track one down.

Sky has not yet responded to queries over the future of the project in light of the controversy.

Walliams, who is currently on holiday in the Maldives with his son, has not responded to the claims about his alleged behaviour.

In a series of social media posts uploaded before his publisher dropped him, the former Britain’s Got Talent judge posed on an island in the Indian Ocean.

In one image he was seen swimming in the sea with a face mask on and in another he is floating in a swimming pool. Walliams is understood to be on holiday at the £5000-a-night ($6647) Park Hyatt Hadahaa resort.

In 2017, the comedian was awarded an OBE for services to charity and the arts.

However, he has faced previous controversies and in 2022 was forced to apologise after he was recorded making “disrespectful comments” about two Britain’s Got Talent contestants during a break in filming.

He left his role as a judge on the program that year and later sued the production company over the leaking of the remarks, reaching a settlement with them in 2023.

The latest claims involve his alleged behaviour towards female junior staff at HarperCollins, where he enjoyed phenomenal success with his children’s titles.

One woman who raised concerns is understood to have left the company with a five-figure payout.

The decision to drop him followed the sudden departure of HarperCollins chief executive Charlie Redmayne in October. Kate Elton replaced him on an interim basis.

A spokesman for HarperCollins told The Telegraph: “After careful consideration, and under the leadership of its new CEO, Harper Collins UK has decided not to publish any new titles by David Walliams. The author is aware of this decision.

“Harper Collins 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.”

Walliams’s agent said: “David has never been informed of any allegations raised against him by HarperCollins.

“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.”

The Telegraph, London

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