HarperCollins stops publishing David Walliams back catalogue
HarperCollins will no longer print David Walliams' existing books after allegations of inappropriate behaviour, which he denies.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
HarperCollins has stopped publishing the entire back catalogue of children's author David Walliams, nine months after it first said it would not bring out any new titles by him.
The publisher's decision means around 23 of his existing books will no longer be printed, and aside from the second-hand market, his work will gradually disappear from bookshops across the country.
David Walliams, best known as a TV performer and one of the UK's most successful children's authors, has sold more than 60 million copies across more than 40 titles, according to HarperCollins.
The move follows allegations that he behaved inappropriately towards female staff at the publisher. Walliams has strongly denied the claims and said he was not party to any investigation nor given a chance to answer questions.
HarperCollins gave no explanation for the latest decision, but sales have fallen sharply in recent months. Last December, the publisher said it would not publish any new books by Walliams because of the allegations.
Now, with the back catalogue also halted, the author's presence in the market will shrink significantly over time.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| David Walliams' book sales have fallen sharply recently. | |
| HarperCollins will stop printing about 23 existing David Walliams books. | |
| Walliams denied the allegations and said he had not been involved in any investigation. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report focused on the timeline of HarperCollins' decisions, noting the lack of explanation and the sharp decline in sales. It highlighted the practical impact: Walliams' books will gradually disappear from shops except via second-hand sales. The tone was factual but with a note of finality about the author's commercial future.
- “HarperCollins says it'll no longer publish the back catalogue of the comedian and children's author David Walliams.”
- “sales have been in sharp decline over the last few months.”
- “other than the second-hand market, one of Britain's most successful authors will over the months to come gradually start to disappear from the nation's bookshops.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.