David Walliams Dropped by HarperCollins UK: What Happened, What It Means, and Why Publishers Make These Calls

In mid-December 2025, reports emerged that HarperCollins UK has ended its relationship with David Walliams for new publishing, stating it would not release any new titles by the author.

Walliams\’ spokesperson has said he strongly denies the allegations reported in the media and is taking legal advice.

Because this story involves allegations and workplace investigations, it\’s important to separate:

• what has been publicly stated by the publisher,
• what has been reported by reputable outlets,
• and what remains unverified or disputed.

1) What happened (publicly reported)

Multiple reputable UK outlets reported on 19 December 2025 that:

• HarperCollins UK decided not to publish new titles by David Walliams.
• The decision followed reporting of allegations about inappropriate behaviour toward junior staff.
• A HarperCollins spokesperson said the company takes employee wellbeing seriously and has processes for reporting and investigating concerns.

Walliams\’ side has said he denies wrongdoing and that he was not informed about, or party to, an internal investigation (as reported by several outlets).

2) Why this is a big deal in publishing (even beyond celebrity news)

David Walliams is one of the UK\’s best-known children\’s authors, with a catalogue that includes widely read titles such as Gangsta Granny and Billionaire Boy.

When a major publisher publicly ends a relationship for future titles, it typically signals one (or more) of the following:

• workplace risk management (employee wellbeing, safeguarding, reputational exposure)
• brand alignment (publisher\’s values vs public perception)
• commercial risk (retailers, schools, libraries, and parents are sensitive markets)
• governance (new leadership applying stricter standards)

This is not unique to any one author. In modern publishing, the “author brand” is tightly connected to:

• the publisher\’s brand,
• retailer relationships,
• and trust from educators and parents.

3) What “dropped” usually means in practice

In publishing, “dropped by a publisher” often means no new publishing contract (or termination/non-renewal of an existing arrangement), but the details depend on contracts.

3.1 New titles vs backlist

A key practical distinction:

• New titles: the publisher can choose not to acquire or publish future books.
• Backlist (existing books): rights may continue for years depending on contract terms.

So, even when publishers stop new releases, existing books may still be:

• printed and sold,
• kept available in schools and libraries,
• adapted for TV/film,
• or later moved to another publisher if rights revert.

3.2 Rights and reversion clauses

Many book contracts include “reversion” rules where rights can return to the author under certain conditions (for example, when a title is no longer available in defined formats). This can create multiple outcomes:

• the original publisher continues selling backlist,
• the author later republishes elsewhere,
• or titles move into different editions/markets.

4) Why “children\’s publishing” reacts differently than some other categories

Children\’s publishing is unusually sensitive because:

• decision-makers include parents, teachers, librarians, and schools,
• reputational concerns can directly affect procurement and events,
• and safeguarding standards are taken extremely seriously.

This means controversies that might be survivable in other entertainment categories can have faster and firmer consequences in children\’s markets.

5) How publishers decide: what\’s “above or below” the company?

You asked earlier about how systems sit above/below government; for publishers, a similar concept applies:

• The law sets baselines (employment law, harassment policies, duty of care, contracts).
• The company sets internal governance (HR processes, investigation procedures, risk thresholds).
• The market adds external pressure (retailers, educators, public perception).

So a publisher\’s decision is usually shaped by three layers of control:

1. Legal obligations and compliance (minimum standards)
2. Internal policy and leadership judgement (company-level standards)
3. External stakeholder trust (market-level consequences)

In other words: even without government involvement, the “system” of incentives and duties can compel action.

6) What happens next (realistic scenarios)

Without speculating beyond what is public, common next steps in cases like this include:

• No further releases by the publisher in that territory
• Retailer responses (stocking decisions, promotions, school channels)
• Backlist stability or decline depending on reader demand and institutional purchasing
• Potential rights movement over time if contractual clauses allow

For readers, the immediate impact is typically felt most in:

• future releases,
• marketing activity,
• and public-facing partnerships.

7) Summary

As reported on 19 December 2025, HarperCollins UK has said it will not publish new David Walliams titles. Walliams\’ spokesperson has said he strongly denies the allegations.

Beyond celebrity headlines, this reflects a wider publishing reality: publishers weigh employee wellbeing, brand trust, and commercial risk, especially in children\’s books.

Sources (accessed December 2025)

• Reuters: UK author David Walliams dropped by publisher after harassment allegations (19 Dec 2025)
  https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-author-david-walliams-dropped-by-publisher-after-harassment-allegations-2025-12-19/

• The Guardian: David Walliams dropped by publisher over alleged inappropriate behaviour (19 Dec 2025)
  https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/dec/19/david-walliams-dropped-by-publisher-over-alleged-inappropriate-behaviour

• Sky News: David Walliams dropped by publisher HarperCollins UK after allegations of inappropriate behaviour (19 Dec 2025)
  https://news.sky.com/story/david-walliams-dropped-by-publisher-harpercollins-uk-13485653

• The Bookseller: David Walliams "dropped by HarperCollins" over allegations of inappropriate behaviour (19 Dec 2025)
  https://www.thebookseller.com/news/david-walliams-dropped-by-harpercollins-over-inappropriate-behaviour

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and it does not make any findings of fact beyond what is publicly reported by reputable sources.