Children's author David Walliams denies inappropriate behavior after publisher drops him

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LONDON (AP) — British children's author and comedian David Walliams has denied allegations of inappropriate behavior after publisher HarperCollins dropped him.

Walliams, 54, is one of the U.K.'s bestselling children's book authors and a former judge on the TV show “Britain's Got Talent.”

In a statement on Friday, HarperCollins said: "After careful consideration, and under the leadership of its new CEO, HarperCollins UK has decided not to publish any new titles by David Walliams. The author is aware of this decision.”

A spokesperson for Walliams said in a statement that he “has never been informed of any allegations raised against him by HarperCollins.”

“He was not party to any investigation or given any opportunity to answer questions. David strongly denies that he has behaved inappropriately and is taking legal advice," the statement said.

The publisher said it would not comment on internal matters, “to respect the privacy of individuals.”

“HarperCollins takes employee wellbeing extremely seriously and has processes in place for reporting and investigating concerns," it said.

Walliams has published over 40 children's books and sold more than 60 million copies worldwide, according to his website. Several of them, including “Gangsta Granny,” have been adapted into a BBC comedy dramas and stage productions.

Walliams left his role as judge on “Britain's Got Talent” in 2022 after apologizing for making “disrespectful comments” about auditioning contestants.