Publishing World Raises Concerns About Behavior
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Author Chloe Combi says she heard warnings about comedian and children's book writer David Walliams more than ten years ago. People working in publishing told her to keep Walliams away from schools. According to Combi, concerns about his behavior toward young female staff were widely discussed among publishers, writers, and people in television. She was told in 2015 that inviting him to speak at schools would be inappropriate.
Investigation and Denial
A joint investigation by the Guardian and ITV News found allegations that Walliams engaged in sexual misconduct and abused his position. Multiple women came forward with accusations. Walliams denied these claims, saying he is not a sexual predator and has broken no laws. His publisher, HarperCollins, stopped printing his new books last year and removed his existing titles from their catalog following the investigation.
Industry Awareness
Combi emphasized that concerns about Walliams's conduct were not secret within the entertainment and publishing worlds. She learned about them from multiple people, including fellow writers and television professionals. Despite these warnings circulating for years, Combi had never met Walliams herself. Her account suggests that people in publishing had discussed these issues long before the recent public investigation brought the matter to wider attention.
Discussion Questions
- What does Combi mean when she says the publishing world is 'quite small and contained'?
- Why do you think HarperCollins waited until 2023 to drop Walliams, even though concerns had existed for over ten years?
- How might a warning system have helped schools protect students in this situation?
- What do you think Combi's responsibility was when she received these warnings in 2015?
- Why might people in an industry hesitate to speak publicly about concerning behavior they have heard about?
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