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NewsUK News · 6 Nov

David Walliams: A Timeline of Career Setbacks From HarperCollins to Alton Towers

Alton Towers, HarperCollins, Waterstones and others have changed their ties with David Walliams. Here is what is confirmed, reported and denied.

Staff Reporter
Fish 4 News illustrated composite of David Walliams beside books, a theme park and a film clapperboard, reflecting recent career setbacks.

Alton Towers has permanently closed its World of David Walliams attraction, the latest in a series of professional setbacks for the comedian and bestselling children’s author involving his publisher, a literary festival, television representation and a reported film casting change.

The closure on 3 November 2026 follows HarperCollins’ decision to stop publishing new Walliams books and then phase out his existing catalogue. Walliams has strongly denied allegations of inappropriate behaviour reported in connection with the publisher. Crucially, the organisations involved have not all given the same reasons for their decisions, and some reported changes remain unconfirmed.

Alton Towers closes its David Walliams attractions

The Staffordshire resort confirmed on its official website that the World of David Walliams would be permanently closed from Tuesday 3 November 2026. The section opened in 2021 following a collaboration with Walliams and HarperCollins Children’s Books.

It included Gangsta Granny: The Ride, Raj’s Bouncy Bottom Burp, the Royal Carousel and Flavio’s Fabulous Fandango, alongside themed shops and food outlets.

Operator Merlin Entertainments said the decision followed its regular end-of-season review of rides and attractions. Operational and guest-experience considerations were also reported. No replacement for the area has yet been announced.

Alton Towers has not publicly said the closure was caused by the allegations concerning Walliams or by HarperCollins’ publishing decisions.

HarperCollins stops commissioning new books

On 19 December 2025, HarperCollins UK announced it would no longer publish new titles by Walliams, who had been a major part of its children’s publishing business since The Boy in the Dress appeared in 2008.

The move came after The Daily Telegraph reported complaints of alleged inappropriate behaviour towards junior female employees. The newspaper reported that a woman who raised concerns had left following a settlement. These were reported allegations, not established findings of criminal wrongdoing; the publisher said it would not discuss confidential employee matters.

HarperCollins said it takes employee wellbeing seriously and has processes for reporting and investigating concerns. Walliams’ spokesperson said he had not been informed of allegations by the publisher, had not been involved in an investigation and had not been given an opportunity to answer questions. The spokesperson said he strongly denied behaving inappropriately and was taking legal advice.

Fish 4 News covered this initial decision in our December 2025 report on Walliams being dropped by HarperCollins.

Publisher moves to withdraw his existing catalogue

On 18 September 2026, reports citing publishing trade title The Bookseller confirmed that HarperCollins would also phase out Walliams’ backlist. The decision extended beyond new manuscripts to existing titles such as Gangsta Granny, Mr Stink and Ratburger. Print stock was to be phased out and digital and audio editions removed through the publisher’s channels.

That was a further change from the position in December 2025: it is not accurate to say only future books were affected. Nor does phasing out a publisher’s editions mean that copies already owned by readers have been recalled or that the books are legally banned.

Waterstones festival removes him from its line-up

On 22 December 2025, Waterstones confirmed Walliams would no longer appear at its children’s book festival in Dundee, scheduled for February 2026. The retailer said HarperCollins had confirmed his withdrawal from the event. The cancellation followed within days of the publisher’s announcement.

BBC says it has no future projects directly involving Walliams

In December 2025, a BBC spokesperson said the broadcaster had no future projects directly involving David Walliams, while also stating that its festive television schedule would not change.

That distinction matters. His pre-recorded appearance on the Boxing Day edition of Would I Lie to You? remained scheduled, and existing television adaptations of his books were still being shown. The BBC’s statement was not an announcement that all Walliams-related programmes would be removed from its archive.

YMU no longer actively represents him on television matters

On 18 September 2026, Deadline reported that talent agency YMU was no longer actively representing Walliams and had removed his profile from its website.

However, a source quoted by Deadline described the end of the commercial relationship as following amicable talks earlier in 2026, rather than an agency decision to sever ties over the allegations. The report said Independent Talent Group continued to oversee Walliams’ literary interests. It would therefore be misleading to describe him as having lost every agent.

Reported removal from The Road to Nevermore

On 28 October 2026, TMZ reported, citing an unnamed production source, that Walliams had been removed from a preliminary cast list for the film The Road to Nevermore. The source said he had not signed a contract.

This is a reported casting change, not a confirmed termination of an existing film contract. A public IMDb listing indexed during our checks still named Walliams among the cast, so publicly available casting information is inconsistent. Fish 4 News has not independently obtained confirmation from the film’s named producers.

Earlier departure from Britain’s Got Talent

Walliams also left Britain’s Got Talent in 2022 after private remarks he made about contestants were leaked. He apologised for disrespectful comments. In 2023, production company Fremantle and Walliams reached an amicable settlement of his legal action over the disclosure of those remarks.

That departure predates the December 2025 HarperCollins announcement by several years and concerns a separate controversy. It should not be presented as another response to the later publishing allegations.

What is confirmed, and what remains unknown?

It is confirmed that HarperCollins stopped commissioning new books and subsequently moved to phase out the existing catalogue; Waterstones removed a festival appearance; the BBC said it had no future projects directly involving Walliams; and Alton Towers closed its themed area. Deadline has reported the end of YMU’s active commercial representation, and TMZ has reported a proposed film role being withdrawn.

What is not established is that every organisation acted for the same reason, that the allegations have been proven, that Walliams has been barred from British entertainment or that all adaptations of his books have ceased. Official Australian industry records, for example, identify the completed 2025 film adaptation of Fing!, which screened at Sundance in 2026.

Taken together, the decisions show a marked contraction of some of Walliams’ prominent publishing and entertainment relationships. They do not, without additional evidence, establish a single coordinated industry-wide decision.

Sources