Publisher HarperCollins has confirmed it will stop publishing David Walliams’s existing books, extending its decision to cut ties with the bestselling children’s author following allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards young women.
The company announced in December 2025 that it would no longer publish new titles by Walliams. Now, on 18 September 2026, it has confirmed that his entire back catalogue will also be withdrawn from publication.
Existing stock will reportedly be phased out of bookshops, while digital and audiobook editions will also be removed from sale. The decision affects titles including Gangsta Granny, The Boy in the Dress and Mr Stink.
The move follows allegations that Walliams behaved inappropriately towards junior female employees at HarperCollins. According to reports published in December, the publisher conducted an internal investigation after concerns were raised by a junior employee in 2023. One woman who raised concerns reportedly left the company after receiving a five-figure settlement. Former employees also alleged that staff were advised to attend meetings with Walliams in pairs and avoid visiting his home.
Walliams has strongly denied the allegations. His spokesperson previously stated that he had not been informed of the complaints, had not participated in the investigation and had not been given an opportunity to respond to questions.
Walliams, who rose to fame through the television comedy Little Britain, became one of Britain’s most commercially successful children’s authors after publishing The Boy in the Dress in 2008. His books have sold more than 60 million copies worldwide, with several adapted for television.
The decision marks a significant development in the publishing industry’s relationship with one of its biggest-selling children’s authors. HarperCollins has not announced whether the books might eventually be republished elsewhere.
