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David Walliams dropped by publisher

723 replies

azuleja · 19/12/2025 17:03

Over inappropriate behaviour towards women. Anyone surprised?

OP posts:
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13
Scout2016 · 20/12/2025 22:51

BritBratGrot · 20/12/2025 12:57

I was given his books as an idea for my nephew just last night, sadly no other ideas for nephew. I have always disliked Walliams but was planning to buy secondhand, now I don't even feel comfortable doing that 🙁

My DD quite liked his books when she qas younger too, i always stopped her buying them in bookshops

Do you need any alternative ideas? Sure we can help. How old is he?
Lissa Evan's Wed Wabbit and Small Change For Stuart Little have been loved recently by a 9 year old here and I've been asked for more of hers, also The Land of Roar series has been a huge hit with the new one (5th?) on pre-order.

Scout2016 · 20/12/2025 23:00

I'm also unsurprised about Walliams and the older David...
Struggling to think who the 3rd David might be if it's not DT. DT I could very much believe.
Please not the David who loves animals!

Scout2016 · 20/12/2025 23:02

@BritBratGrot not Stuart Little, just Stuart (mashed 2 book titles together there)

NCearlymitford · 20/12/2025 23:11

Saw this on X, but I don't know where it's from.

David Walliams dropped by publisher
berlinbaby2025 · 20/12/2025 23:22

There appears to be some naivety from some people on this thread. Why do you think action was taken by the business this month? We all know he’s a best-selling author so do you really think, if his sales were still strong, they would kill off their golden goose? A quick google tells me that - surprise surprise - his book sakes this year have been down by 60%. They can easily afford NOW to drop him.

2021x · 20/12/2025 23:24

I mean its tale as old as time isn't it. High-performing individual in a competitive and lucrative field turns out to be a complete shit, enabled by other complete shits all waiting for their payday.

Whether its politics, royalty, performers or bankers there is always going to be a disproportionate about of abusive wankers at the top.

Dinosaurhearmeroar · 20/12/2025 23:28

berlinbaby2025 · 20/12/2025 23:22

There appears to be some naivety from some people on this thread. Why do you think action was taken by the business this month? We all know he’s a best-selling author so do you really think, if his sales were still strong, they would kill off their golden goose? A quick google tells me that - surprise surprise - his book sakes this year have been down by 60%. They can easily afford NOW to drop him.

But this is because they stopped promoting him. It wasn’t until a woman came to the helm as ceo that she got rid of him.

Dinosaurhearmeroar · 20/12/2025 23:30

NCearlymitford · 20/12/2025 23:11

Saw this on X, but I don't know where it's from.

News Corp does own harper Collins so im not surprised. They also own the sun and the times so would be interesting to see
how many stories they’ve done on him over the years as opposed to the mail who have different owners…

Dinosaurhearmeroar · 20/12/2025 23:32

Scout2016 · 20/12/2025 23:00

I'm also unsurprised about Walliams and the older David...
Struggling to think who the 3rd David might be if it's not DT. DT I could very much believe.
Please not the David who loves animals!

I have heard it the David with animals. 😞

in a way I am not shocked - he is 99 years old isn’t he? Think of how long he has been famous for and what people got away with in the 60s/70s. I just can’t imagine he is squeaky clean.

justasking111 · 20/12/2025 23:34

Dinosaurhearmeroar · 20/12/2025 23:32

I have heard it the David with animals. 😞

in a way I am not shocked - he is 99 years old isn’t he? Think of how long he has been famous for and what people got away with in the 60s/70s. I just can’t imagine he is squeaky clean.

I can't think of a DT with animals.

JumpingJiminy · 20/12/2025 23:39

justasking111 · 20/12/2025 23:34

I can't think of a DT with animals.

It's supposedly a D not a DT.

justasking111 · 20/12/2025 23:43

JumpingJiminy · 20/12/2025 23:39

It's supposedly a D not a DT.

So a person with one name only like Cher or Adele.

JumpingJiminy · 20/12/2025 23:44

justasking111 · 20/12/2025 23:43

So a person with one name only like Cher or Adele.

No! It's just not a DT and no one has said what D.

If there even is one!

justasking111 · 20/12/2025 23:46

JumpingJiminy · 20/12/2025 23:44

No! It's just not a DT and no one has said what D.

If there even is one!

OH it's too confusing for me 😕

BigAnne · 20/12/2025 23:46

JumpingJiminy · 20/12/2025 23:44

No! It's just not a DT and no one has said what D.

If there even is one!

DD?

murasaki · 20/12/2025 23:48

DA, and I hope not.

JumpingJiminy · 20/12/2025 23:50

murasaki · 20/12/2025 23:48

DA, and I hope not.

Nothing dodgy comes up on a search, so I think it's incorrect.

Daygloboo · 20/12/2025 23:51

2021x · 20/12/2025 23:24

I mean its tale as old as time isn't it. High-performing individual in a competitive and lucrative field turns out to be a complete shit, enabled by other complete shits all waiting for their payday.

Whether its politics, royalty, performers or bankers there is always going to be a disproportionate about of abusive wankers at the top.

I think this is true, which is why it's more important than ever that there are brave whistleblowers and good strategies in place to support them when they come forward. It's really important that women as a group push for change to expose these types more quickly.

murasaki · 20/12/2025 23:53

JumpingJiminy · 20/12/2025 23:50

Nothing dodgy comes up on a search, so I think it's incorrect.

Hope so, I was just thinking of a D with animal links as mentioned above.

Carla786 · 21/12/2025 00:06

justasking111 · 20/12/2025 23:34

I can't think of a DT with animals.

Hope not..

CautiousLurker2 · 21/12/2025 00:07

IAmKerplunk · 20/12/2025 18:17

Fools. Frost. Granville.

Think I know who this is - saw them in a BBC interview recently and they were shockingly inappropriate in their exchange with Naga… until then I never had a qualm. Now I shudder.

2021x · 21/12/2025 00:47

Daygloboo · 20/12/2025 23:51

I think this is true, which is why it's more important than ever that there are brave whistleblowers and good strategies in place to support them when they come forward. It's really important that women as a group push for change to expose these types more quickly.

I agree. The #metoo movement helped me understand what sexual assault actually was and also inform people who behave in that way that it is illegal. I think a big problem with SA is that there are generally no witnesses or that the person comitting the offences has built a culture around them that others depend on them for their livelyhood- like a cult

I was part of a martial arts club, and one of the main instructors (32) "started" a relationship with a member on her 18th birthday. It was so complicated.. she was over 18 so no safeguarding, there were rumours about younger as well but no proof- but a kid was removed by her parents who reported him to police but there was nothing prosecutable. I stayed friends with the 18 year old but she cut off contact when I didn't agree that he was a victim. All the guys who were running it were all really disturbed by what was going on, but couldn't for some reason kick them out. Alot of the older females left because we couldn't be in the same room- which obviously makes it a lot more dangerous for the younger females.

Daygloboo · 21/12/2025 00:48

Scout2016 · 20/12/2025 23:00

I'm also unsurprised about Walliams and the older David...
Struggling to think who the 3rd David might be if it's not DT. DT I could very much believe.
Please not the David who loves animals!

I'd be very disappointed by DT because I always thought he was rather wonderful. I cant imagine him being a shit in any way..I didnt know there were rumours that he's not s very nice person. Genuinely surprised.

Rosedreaming · 21/12/2025 00:57

Walliams writes his own books, no ghostwriter and he doesn't take well to being edited so you can trust that the bad stereotyping, racism, sexism and classism in the books are all his own work.

Baddiel also writes his own books. So does David o Doherty. Pretty much every sportsperson, chef, reality star or general celebrity has a ghost writer but the comedians are more likely to do their own work.

Some celebrities genuinely feel like they wrote their own books when essentially all they've done is told their ghostwriter they want a character based on them (little girl who loves horses, ballet, etc) and nodded along to a few of the plot ideas put to them.

The thing I haven't seen about Walliams yet is that his PR essentially acted as security on his school visits - but security for the girls at the school, not for him. Became a thing after an incident at one school during an award event. Most of the reports about him, which go back years, are from young women from his publisher's PR department and are both about what they've had to deal with from him and how he's behaved with others while they were working with him. Plenty of cases of him sending inappropriate messages to girls on social media too.

( Meanwhile I may as well say that the Scottish DT being mentioned on this thread despite afaik not being someone anyone has referred to is very lovely.and extremely gentle and respectful in person, haven't heard anyone who has worked with him have a bad word to say. Just my personal experience.)

Anyway there is a lot to come out on Walliams but a number of people have taken payments for NDAs so it will be interesting to see what actually emerges. The author Kiran Milwood Hargraves once posted a Twitter thread with all the stories she had heard (first hand) about Walliams and nothing came of it at the time. He and the Murdoch empire have been incredibly good at silencing people for a very long time. I hope this is the end of the run for him with this behaviour.

ThoseWeirdStones · 21/12/2025 01:31

It isn't alot, it's a lot.

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