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How to talk to your children about David Walliams, according to experts

How to talk to your children about David Walliams, according to experts

If your child loves David Walliams' books, how do you explain troubling allegations about their favourite author? Here's what parents need to know.

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Ruairidh Pritchard

Published: November 10, 2026 at 10:30 PM

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If your child has grown up laughing at David Walliams' books, from Gangsta Granny to The Boy in the Dress, you might now be facing a conversation you never expected to have.

The bestselling children's author and comedian has been accused of grooming teenage fans as young as 15 and sexually harassing women in the workplace, according to a joint investigation by ITV News and The Guardian. Walliams denies the allegations.

In a letter quoted by The Guardian, Walliams said: "I am not a sexual predator. I have not broken the law, but I am devastated that some of the women I met 10 to 20 years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me."

For parents, the immediate question may be less about the headlines themselves and more about what to tell their children. Should you bring up the news if they haven't heard about it? How do you explain allegations without frightening them? And what happens when someone whose stories they love becomes the subject of troubling claims?

Allegations are not proof of wrongdoing. But children may still have questions, particularly if they've heard the story discussed at school or seen reactions online.

Should you tell your children about the David Walliams allegations?

If your child hasn't heard about the allegations, you don't necessarily need to be the person who introduces them.

For younger children, particularly those who aren't following the news, bringing up a distressing adult subject without any immediate reason may create more confusion than understanding.

But older children may already have encountered headlines, social media posts or playground conversations. And if they've spotted adults talking about Walliams, they may be curious about what's happening.

A gentle starting point could be: "Have you heard anything about David Walliams in the news?"

This allows you to find out what your child already knows before deciding how much to explain.

Dr Jemma Anderson, Chartered Educational Psychologist and Founder of Perceptive Educational Psychology Service, says parents don't need to introduce every difficult news story, but a gentle conversation can help when children are likely to hear about it elsewhere.

When a public figure is familiar to a child, or the story is being discussed around them, it can be helpful for parents to open up a conversation rather than waiting for children to piece things together themselves.

Dr Jemma Anderson, Chartered Educational Psychologist and Founder of Perceptive Educational Psychology Service

How to explain the David Walliams allegations to children of different ages

How you approach the conversation will depend on your child's age, emotional maturity and understanding of the news.

You don't need to share every detail. Start with what they know, answer the question they're actually asking and give them opportunities to come back to you later.

Dr Anderson advises parents to tailor their explanations to their child's age and understanding, without feeling they need to share the details of the allegations.

Children don't need graphic details to understand that concerns are serious.

Dr Jemma Anderson, Chartered Educational Psychologist and Founder of Perceptive Educational Psychology Service

Ages 5–8: Keep it simple

Younger children may recognise Walliams as the person behind their favourite stories without understanding why adults are discussing him.

If they ask, you could say: "Some people have said that David Walliams may have behaved in a way that wasn't OK. We don't know everything that's happened, and grown-ups are trying to understand it."

Avoid introducing sexual details or complicated legal explanations.

Instead, focus on helping your child understand that adults can disagree about what happened, and that they can always ask questions if something worries them.

Ages 9–12: Explain what an allegation means

Older primary-school children may have a clearer understanding of inappropriate behaviour, particularly if they've heard other children discussing the story.

You could explain: "An allegation means somebody has said that something happened. It's important to take that seriously, but it doesn't mean we know for certain what happened."

If they ask what sexual misconduct means, you can explain that it refers to behaviour of a sexual nature that may be unwanted, inappropriate or cross someone's boundaries.

Keep the explanation age-appropriate and avoid going into details they haven't asked for.

Ages 13+: Talk about consent and power

Teenagers may have already encountered detailed coverage or strong opinions online.

Rather than simply telling them what to think, ask what they've read and whether they know where the information came from.

This can lead to a wider conversation about consent, personal boundaries and power imbalances.

You might say: "It's important that people feel able to speak up about inappropriate behaviour, even when the person they're speaking about is famous or powerful."

What if your child asks, 'Is David Walliams a bad person?'

For children who have loved Walliams' books, the idea that someone familiar could be involved in a troubling news story may feel confusing.

They might struggle to understand how someone whose stories have made them laugh could also be the subject of serious allegations.

Remind your child that enjoying someone's books doesn't mean they have to defend everything that person does, or everything they're accused of doing.

Dr Anderson recommends acknowledging children's confusion rather than dismissing their feelings or telling them how they should react.

She suggests saying: "I can understand why this feels confusing. You enjoyed their work and thought positively about them, and it's difficult to hear something like this."

Children don't need to feel embarrassed about having enjoyed the stories.

Rebecca Mackillop, Lead Therapist at Brain Botanics Therapy, says children may feel confused about what the allegations mean for their own enjoyment of a celebrity's work.

They may wonder whether enjoying that person's books or programmes means they've done something wrong. Reassure them that admiration isn't an endorsement of someone's alleged behaviour.

Rebecca Mackillop, Lead Therapist at Brain Botanics Therapy

Should you stop reading David Walliams' books to your children?

Mother and daughter reading book on a sofa.

Getty Images

For families with well-loved copies of Gangsta Granny, Billionaire Boy or Mr Stink on the bookshelf, this may be one of the most immediate questions.

Should you put the books away? Stop buying new ones? Or carry on reading them as normal?

There isn't one answer that will work for every family.

Some parents may feel uncomfortable continuing to read or purchase an author's work while serious allegations are being reported. Other families may prefer to make that decision gradually, taking into account their children's ages, feelings and understanding of the situation.

If your child is old enough to understand what's happening, you could involve them in the decision.

Try saying: "I know you really enjoy these books. I'm not sure how I feel about reading them at the moment. What do you think?"

You might choose to put them away temporarily, explore other authors or continue reading the stories your child already owns.

Whatever you decide, avoid making your child feel that enjoying a book means they approve of someone's alleged behaviour.

How to use the conversation to teach children about boundaries

Difficult news stories can sometimes open the door to important conversations about consent, personal boundaries and speaking up when something feels wrong.

You don't need to link these lessons to any specific alleged behaviour or suggest that allegations have been proved.

For younger children, this might mean reminding them that their body belongs to them, they can say no to unwanted physical affection and they should tell a trusted adult if something makes them uncomfortable.

For older children, you can discuss how consent works, why people should respect one another's boundaries and why being famous or powerful doesn't place someone above the rules.

One useful message is that someone can be popular, successful or admired without automatically being trustworthy.

You could say: "Even if someone is famous or lots of people like them, they still need to treat others with respect. And if anyone ever makes you uncomfortable, you can always tell me or another adult you trust."

The NSPCC's Talk PANTS guidance offers age-appropriate ways to introduce conversations about bodily autonomy and keeping safe.

Dr Anderson says conversations about consent shouldn't be reserved for teenagers. Younger children can begin learning about personal boundaries through everyday choices and relationships.

Consent education is about much more than teaching children to say no. It is about helping them understand choice, respect, empathy and responsibility.

Dr Jemma Anderson, Chartered Educational Psychologist and Founder of Perceptive Educational Psychology Service

Mackillop also cautions against turning the allegations into a broader message that nobody can be trusted. Instead, she recommends reinforcing the importance of consent and bodily autonomy, regardless of someone's fame or authority.

What if your child is upset or worried about the news?

Not every child will be particularly interested in the story. But others may feel disappointed, confused or upset, especially if Walliams' books have been a big part of their childhood.

If your child seems worried, start by asking what's troubling them.

Cormac Nolan, head of Childline Online, previously told MadeForMums that parents should pay attention to changes in their child's behaviour, even when they insist everything is fine.

Your child might say they aren't worried, but you might notice them becoming withdrawn, irritable, or talking and behaving in a way that is out of character. If you think that your child is concerned, a gentle check-in can be helpful.

Cormac Nolan, head of Childline Online

You could say: "It sounds like this has upset you. Do you want to tell me what you're thinking?"

Listen without rushing to reassure them that everything is fine or giving them more information than they need.

If they're repeatedly seeing distressing posts online, consider helping them take a break from the coverage.

And if the news prompts them to share something concerning about their own experiences, stay calm, listen carefully and take what they say seriously.

For additional support, parents can find advice through YoungMinds, while children and teenagers can contact Childline free on 0800 1111.

You don't need to have all the answers

When someone your child admires becomes the subject of serious allegations, it's understandable to feel unsure about what to say.

But you don't need to explain every detail, make an immediate decision about their books or tell your child exactly how to feel.

What matters is helping them understand the difference between allegations and proven facts, listening to their questions and reminding them that they can always come to you when something worries them.

Authors

Ruairidh PritchardDigital Growth Lead

Ruairidh is the Digital Lead on MadeForMums. He works with a team of fantastically talented content creators and subject-matter experts on MadeForMums.