Life & Culture
Life & Culture
David Walliams cut from Fing! as Sky exits UK film deal
David Walliams’s cameo has been removed from Fing!, and Sky is exiting its role as the film’s UK and Ireland licensee, following allegations of sexual misconduct against the author and performer.
The decisions were confirmed in statements reported by Variety and Deadline. Walliams denies the allegations against him and says he has not broken the law.
Fing! producers remove David Walliams cameo
The producers told Variety they had removed Walliams’s cameo and that he would have no involvement in the film’s release or promotion. They said they took the reported allegations seriously and that their thoughts were with anyone affected.
Deadline also reported the producers’ statement. The fantasy film is based on Walliams’s children’s book and stars Taika Waititi, Mia Wasikowska and Iona Bell.
Sky exits UK and Ireland distribution
Sky told Variety it had notified the producers of its intention to leave its position as the UK and Ireland licensee. The broadcaster described the allegations as extremely serious and said it had already removed content featuring Walliams from its platforms.
That is a change to the film’s distribution arrangements in those territories, not an announcement that the film has been cancelled worldwide. Variety reports that Angel Studios remains involved in its US release. A replacement UK or Ireland release arrangement was not established in the reports checked.
Walliams denies the allegations
The developments follow a joint investigation by ITV News and the Guardian, published on 10 November after Walliams lost a legal attempt to prevent publication.
The investigation reported allegations of sexual misconduct involving young women and teenagers. Walliams denies grooming young women and denies criminal wrongdoing. In his response to the journalists, he said he had sometimes behaved thoughtlessly in casual relationships, but denied abusing his power.
Those allegations are not findings of guilt. The producers’ and Sky’s decisions do not, by themselves, determine whether the allegations are true.
BBC News’s report also carries Walliams’s response and statements from broadcasters. No accompanying YouTube or X embed is included in this report.
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Archive photograph: David Walliams. Photo: Sriya Sarkar / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Cropped to landscape.
