David Walliams has suffered one other reputational blow after being dropped by a significant youngsters’s charity, including to a rising listing {of professional} setbacks for the previous Britain’s Obtained Expertise choose. The 58-year-old creator and comic is now not an envoy for The Kids’s Belief, the organisation has confirmed. Walliams started working with the charity in January 2018, but it surely has now emerged that the connection ended earlier this 12 months. A spokesperson stated: “After a evaluation of our ambassador programme earlier within the 12 months, David Walliams is now not an envoy of The Kids’s Belief.”
The affirmation comes amid a turbulent interval for Walliams, who was just lately dropped by his writer HarperCollins following allegations that he harassed junior feminine workers. The charity confused that Walliams was now not an envoy on the time these allegations got here to mild. Walliams has strongly denied the claims and is known to be taking authorized recommendation. Throughout his time with The Kids’s Belief, Walliams was a high-profile supporter and frequently visited youngsters on the charity, together with studying to them on Christmas Day.
Talking when he first took on the function in 2018, he stated: “I’m completely thrilled to change into an envoy for The Kids’s Belief. It’s a charity I care drastically about, and each time I go to I’m struck by its heat, caring environment and the dedication of its workers.
“The Kids’s Belief is a really particular place with extremely inspiring younger folks. I really feel very proud to be concerned.”
Walliams, who was awarded an OBE in 2007 for providers to charity and the humanities, has additionally been pulled from an introduced look at a Waterstones youngsters’s guide pageant scheduled for February 2026.
A spokesperson for the bookseller stated: “HarperCollins have confirmed that David Walliams will now not be showing at our pageant in Dundee.”
In the meantime, questions proceed to swirl round Walliams’ future on tv. The BBC has confirmed it’s nonetheless planning to air a controversial Christmas particular of Would I Lie To You? on Boxing Day.
The episode was filmed in June and featured Walliams making two Nazi salutes throughout a phase, prompting apologies from each the broadcaster and manufacturing firm Banijay UK.
On the time, the gestures have been described as “fully unacceptable,” with the manufacturing firm including: “It was instantly acknowledged in the course of the recording that this phase wouldn’t be broadcast underneath any circumstances.”
Regardless of the controversy, CBBC has continued to air diversifications of Walliams’ books, together with Mr Stink and The Boy within the Gown, over the festive interval.
In a press release to The Telegraph, HarperCollins stated: “The creator is conscious of this resolution. HarperCollins takes worker wellbeing extraordinarily critically and has processes in place for reporting and investigating issues.”
The investigation additionally claimed that one worker who raised issues acquired a five-figure payout and later left the corporate.
Responding through PA, a spokesperson for Walliams stated: “David has by no means been knowledgeable of any allegations raised in opposition to him by Harper Collins. He was not occasion to any investigation or given any alternative to reply questions. David strongly denies that he has behaved inappropriately and is taking authorized recommendation.”
