Sky Drops David Walliams Film “Fing!” and BBC Pulls His Shows After Misconduct Allegations
Sky Drops David Walliams Film “Fing!” and BBC Pulls His Shows After Misconduct Allegations
Sky has dropped plans to release David Walliams’s film Fing! in the UK and Ireland, and the BBC is removing programmes featuring the comedian from its platforms, after a joint investigation by The Guardian and ITV News reported a series of sexual misconduct allegations against him. Walliams, 55, denies the allegations.
The fallout has spread across the film and television industry within a day of the investigation’s publication on Tuesday, November 10, leaving the family fantasy film without a British distributor and Walliams cut from its release and promotion on three continents.
Sky Exits as UK and Ireland Licensee
Sky, which had acquired Fing! for UK distribution after the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January, confirmed it was walking away from the project. A Sky spokesperson told Variety: “The allegations made against David Walliams are extremely serious. We have notified the producers of the film of our intention to exit our position as the UK & Ireland licensee of Fing!“
The spokesperson added that Sky had “already removed content which features [Walliams] from our platforms.” The film, an adaptation of Walliams’s 2019 children’s novel, had been due for release in the UK and Ireland in early 2027. Sky has now removed the film entirely from its slate.
Fing! was directed by Jeffrey Walker and filmed in Australia. It stars Mia Wasikowska, Blake Harrison, Taika Waititi and Penelope Wilton, with Matt Lucas, Walliams’s Little Britain co-creator, voicing the title character. Walliams co-wrote the screenplay with Kevin Cecil and had a cameo appearance in the film.
US and Australian Releases Go Ahead Without Him
In the United States, distributor Angel Studios said it would still release the film in early January 2027, but without Walliams. “We take the allegations reported regarding David Walliams seriously,” the company said in a statement to Variety. “Our thoughts are with anyone who has been affected. We have removed his cameo appearance from Fing!, and he will have no involvement in the film’s release or promotion.”
In Australia, where the film was shot, distributor Transmission Films confirmed the cinema release will go ahead as planned on January 14, but Walliams will be removed from its publicity campaign. Streaming platform Stan will no longer release the movie.
The BBC Removes His Programmes
The BBC said it was reviewing all material featuring and written by Walliams on its platforms. A BBC spokesperson said: “These are serious allegations. As such, the BBC is looking carefully at all material featuring and written by David Walliams on our platforms. We are in the process of removing some programmes, including Little Britain, whilst this review is under way.”
Episodes of The Wheel and Would I Lie To You? featuring Walliams have been removed from BBC iPlayer, along with the comedy shows Little Britain and Come Fly With Me. His guest appearance in the Doctor Who episode “The God Complex” is also being removed. Walliams has also been dropped by his agency, Independent Talent Group.
The Investigation and Walliams’s Response
The Guardian and ITV News spoke to 30 people during a three-year joint investigation. The investigation reported allegations dating back to 2003, including claims that Walliams used his celebrity status to pursue teenage girls and young women for sexual purposes, with some accusers as young as 15, and allegations of workplace harassment.
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Walliams fought a legal attempt to prevent publication of the allegations and lost, after which he was publicly named on Tuesday. He denies any wrongdoing and says he has not broken the law. ITV News has also released an hour-long documentary about the investigation, David Walliams: Power And Silence, which is streaming on YouTube and ITVX.
Why This Matters
The speed and scale of the industry response is striking. Within 24 hours, Walliams lost his UK film distributor, his agency, his BBC catalogue and his place in the film he co-wrote. The contrasting decisions by distributors also show how differently companies are handling the same film: Sky has abandoned it entirely in the UK and Ireland, while Angel Studios and Transmission Films are releasing it in the US and Australia with Walliams removed.
For audiences, the immediate effect is clear. British viewers will not see Fing! in cinemas or on Sky in early 2027 unless another distributor steps in, and no replacement UK or Ireland release arrangement has been announced. The film’s future in Britain now depends on whether another distributor is willing to take it on. It has been a crowded week for film news in any case, from the Focker-in-Law premiere to the Coachella 2027 lineup announcement and Marvel’s VisionQuest finale.
Latest Developments
The BBC review of Walliams’s material is ongoing, and further removals from iPlayer and BBC Sounds are possible. The Fing! producers have not commented on whether a new UK distributor is being sought. No criminal charges have been reported in connection with the allegations, which remain unproven claims reported by The Guardian and ITV News.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Sky drop the film Fing!?
Sky said the allegations against David Walliams reported by The Guardian and ITV News were “extremely serious” and notified the film’s producers that it intended to exit its position as the UK and Ireland licensee. It has also removed content featuring Walliams from its platforms.
Will Fing! still be released?
Yes, in the US and Australia. Angel Studios will release the film in the US in early January 2027 with Walliams’s cameo removed, and Transmission Films will release it in Australian cinemas on January 14. There is currently no UK or Ireland release planned.
What has the BBC done about David Walliams’s shows?
The BBC is removing programmes featuring or written by Walliams, including Little Britain, from BBC iPlayer while it reviews all of his material on its platforms. Episodes of The Wheel and Would I Lie To You? featuring him have also been removed.
Has David Walliams responded to the allegations?
Walliams denies the allegations and says he has not broken the law. He attempted to obtain a court injunction to prevent publication of the investigation but lost that legal bid.
Walliams built his career on Little Britain and a string of bestselling children’s books, with Fing! meant to be his latest screen adaptation. For now, the film will reach audiences in the US and Australia — but without its author anywhere in it.
Sources
- Variety (via Press Association and Radio Times)
- Press Association
- Radio Times
- Deadline (via Landmark Cinemas)
- Chortle
- Far Out Magazine
- BBC statement
- The Guardian and ITV News investigation
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