Latest news with #Walliams
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Stars on the bookshelf: when celebrities write for children
On a chilly Sunday evening in January, I drove to Crossword at Mumbai's Kemp's Corner with my children to meet David Walliams. The celebrated British children's author and comedian was visiting as a part of his multi-city India book tour, and the bookstore had announced a meet-and-greet. I expected the whole affair to be a quick one — after all, how many people would want to meet Walliams in India? I could not have been more wrong. The large bookstore was filled with hundreds of children and parents buying books to sign, and queuing up to meet Walliams. He greeted them, signed books, posed for photographs, and encouraged them to continue reading. After all, the reason he writes books, he says, is to raise readers — a line that clearly resonated with parents eager to support anything that gets their child reading. The response Walliams got made me wonder — is this what a celebrity can do for the world of children's literature? Does fame guarantee sales? Celebrities-turned-authors are an all-too-familiar phenomenon in the U.K. and the U.S. From Meghan Markle to Jennifer Aniston, Natalie Portman to Jamie Oliver — celebrities have made it to bestseller lists with their children's books. These books are conveniently available as both hardcovers and ebooks. The topics they write about are as varied as their backgrounds. Actress and entrepreneur Reese Witherspoon wrote the Busy Betty series in 2022, modelling the heroine on a childhood version of herself. Tennis superstar and philanthropist Serena Williams' The Adventures of Qai Qai, in which a little girl learns to believe in herself with the help of a doll, is inspired by her experiences with her daughter. Actress Gabrielle Union wrote Welcome to the Party to celebrate babies becoming a part of families through surrogacy and adoption. She also collaborated with her husband, basketball star Dwayne Wade, on Shady Baby — a book about standing up to bullies — inspired by their daughter Kaavia. Friends star Aniston recently released a picture book, Clydeo Takes a Bite Out of Life, about self-discovery and self-confidence, inspired by her pet dog Clyde. Books by celebrities garner attention, but do they guarantee sales? Sohini Mitra, who heads Penguin Random House India's Children and Young Adult division, says, 'Celebrity books don't guarantee high sales, as success still depends on the quality of the content and audience engagement. However, a celebrity author can boost the book's visibility, help it reach a broader audience, create buzz, and generate media attention.' Celebrity-authored books aren't always a success. In 2021, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, released The Bench, a love poem for new fathers, which was slammed by critics and parents alike. The New Statesman said, 'It was mind-boggling how bad the book is,' while others called it a 'literary atrocity'. The Indian scene In India, a few celebrities have turned authors. Actress Soha Ali Khan and her husband, actor Kunal Khemmu, wrote Inni and Bobo, a series about a little girl and her dog. Actress and entrepreneur Alia Bhatt wrote Ed Finds a Home, a picture book, launched as an extension of her children's clothing line, Ed-a-Mamma. The book was illustrated by the award-winning Tanvi Bhat who admits, 'The exposure it got because of the involvement of Alia Bhatt and her brand was unmatched.' One cannot deny that visibility has its perks. Grandma's Bag of Stories, authored by Sudha Murty, was the best-selling children's book in India, with 97,000 copies worth more than ₹18 million sold by 2021. Normalising ghost writing But does the success of a few titles justify the broader industry trend of commissioning celebrity authors? Lubaina Bandukwala, children's author and curator of literature festivals such as Peekabook, says, 'Celebrities usually have time only for their books. Seldom have I seen them use the platform to promote reading. It is a question of mindset — children's authors and those working in the children's literature space are more concerned about wanting kids to read, exposing them to newer themes, etc.' News and commentary platform The Conversation published an article by senior lecturer and author Penni Russon, who critiques how celebrity-authored books often undermine the craft. She highlights the 'derivative nature' of such books, which rely on tired tropes and rarely offer something original to children. Ashwitha Jaykumar, freelance editor and author of The Book of Emperors: An Illustrated History of the Mughals, finds the trend of celebrity authors disheartening. 'The worst outcome of publishers commissioning celebrity authors is that they normalise ghost writing or mediocre writing. If all it takes to be published is a pre-existing fan base, then what message does it send to people like us who spend years honing our craft? It's like saying the quality of your writing doesn't matter as much as the number of Instagram followers you have,' she says. But publishers continue to see value in commissioning celebrities to write children's books. Himanshu Giri, CEO, Pratham Books, explains, 'When influential voices from outside the traditional children's publishing space — whether economists like Esther Duflo, athletes, or artists — enter this world, they bring insight, purpose, and passion. Duflo, for instance, offers an economist's perspective on fairness, poverty, and inclusion, ideas that can be conveyed to children through age-appropriate storytelling.' The presence of a known name increases a book's discoverability and uplifts everyone connected to the project, from illustrators to publishers, especially in the 'independent' space. As Giri puts it: 'When respected and inspiring voices write for children, they lend credibility to the idea that children's books are serious, transformative work, drawing in new audiences, and shining a light on all those who are working quietly but powerfully to shape young minds.' However, for celebrity authors, the vibrant world of indie bookstores, where passionate readers and curated selections thrive, might still be out of reach. Vidya Mani, curator and co-founder of Funky Rainbow, a popular independent bookstore in Bengaluru, says, 'When people walk into our store, they are keen for us to recommend books that their children will enjoy. We have sold more books by Ashok Rajagopalan, Roopa Pai, Pika Nani, Priya Kuriyan, Rohan Chakravarty, and Asha Nehemiah than by any celebrity author. In our world, it is these authors and illustrators who are the real celebrities.' The writer is founder of Mother of Readers, a platform championing Indian children's literature.
Metro
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
BBC apologises after David Walliams makes ‘completely unacceptable' Nazi salutes
The BBC has apologised after comedian David Walliams gave two Nazi salutes in front of a live audience. The incident took place during a taping of the Christmas special for panel show Would I Lie To You, with The Times claiming the Little Britain star, 53, made the grossly offensive gesture not once but twice. The salutes occurred while Walliams's teammate – Call the Midwife actress Helen George – who was recalling the time she sprained her wrist during the Strictly Come Dancing tour in 2015 'from waving too much'. As she tried to convince David Mitchell's team that the anecdote was true, she started re-enacting the waving, which is when Walliams joined in with his own exaggerated flailing, resulting in the Nazi salute. After being reprimanded by the host, Rob Brydon, the filming moved on but as lewd jokes were swapped, Walliams then repeated the action but this time with a 'sexual twist'. Per The Times, one audience member said: 'It was all very weird. There were gasps from the audience, and the other panellists all looked very uncomfortable.' Another X user, @mirrandaYC added: 'Didn't have david walliams doing a Nazi salute at the Would I Lie To You Christmas taping on my 2025 bingo card.' Sources at the BBC and the show's production company, Zeppotron told the publication that there was no chance of the footage being broadcast. Facebook user Alan Robert Booth called him an 'entitled idiot'. A BBC spokesperson apologised to those present, saying: 'The use of such an offensive gesture is completely unacceptable and we apologise to all at the recording for the offence caused.' This has been echoed by Banijay UK (Zeppotron's owner) who added: 'Any attempt at humour regarding this deeply offensive gesture, whether broadcast or not, is completely unacceptable in any context. 'It was immediately acknowledged during the recording that this segment would not be broadcast under any circumstances and we apologise to those who were at the recording for any offence caused.' It is the latest incident in a career filled with controversy. The former Britain's Got Talent judge was removed from his role in 2022 after leaked recordings showed him making offensive remarks about the contestants. Meanwhile, his tenure on the comedy series co-created with Matt Lucas, Little Britain, has faced mounting criticism for its depiction of certain characters branded 'explicitly racist' such as the use of blackface. Nevertheless, despite the show's controversial sketches, it has found a new audience on TikTok with clips regularly going viral among the Gen Z audience for its dark humour. In 2023, after rumours of a reboot, Lucas shut down the idea saying that it was simply 'not true'. The co-creators do have a podcast together, Making A Scene, where they 'turn their famous friends' lives into cinematic masterpieces.' In 2024, the children's author called cancel culture 'exhausting'. '[The issue] is complicated, but you just look at each joke as it comes really. 'Obviously if you were worried about every single thing you said or did might offend someone, that you wouldn't be able to say or do anything on stage. More Trending 'I kind of think people haven't lost a sense of humour in the way that it's often portrayed,' he told The Daily Telegraph at the time. He is not the first high-profile figure to be embroiled in a Nazi salute controversy this year. Elon Musk faced backlash after making a movement that resembled the salute in January. However, he firmly denied that the gesture he made was the one historically linked to German fascism. View More » Metro has reached out to David Walliams' representative and the BBC for comment. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: I don't want to see David Walliams on TV again after Nazi salutes MORE: 44 of the best last-minute Father's Day gifts for every kind of dad, stepdad or grandad MORE: Samurai sword killer 'screamed in delight' after nearly decapitating schoolboy
Metro
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
I don't want to see David Walliams on TV again after Nazi salutes
I can't believe I'm having to say this, but Nazi salutes are not funny. This week, David Walliams, the comedian once renowned for Little Britain and as a ubiquitous judge on Britain's Got Talent, made two Nazi salutes while filming a comedy show, a Christmas special of Would I Lie To You for the BBC. The story, revealed by The Times, was a wholly humiliating and thoroughly embarrassing act. Call the Midwife actress and Walliams' teammate on the show, Helen George, was telling a tale about spraining her wrist after waving too much on the Strictly Come Dancing tour, before demonstrating the wave. That's when Walliams 'joined in with increasingly vigorous waves, culminating in him holding his arm out in a Nazi salute'. He then repeated it, with a 'sexual twist', essentially mocking its brutal origins. Audience members reportedly gasped, fellow panellists looked uncomfortable, and the host, Rob Brydon, was forced to reprimand him. The BBC has since confirmed the footage will never air, calling the gesture 'completely unacceptable,' and the production company quickly repeated those sentiments. To put it simply: I believe he has crossed a line. So he must be shunned from our screens. Walliams has been treading a tightrope of controversy for decades, with a pattern of behaviour that must ultimately be held to account. His comedy – particularly Little Britain – has been rightly criticised for racist stand-up and blackface. Something once celebrated as being edgy or irreverent now just exists as an embarrassing reminder of how the entertainment business once had so much less to answer for in terms of its power. Both Walliams and Lucas have since apologised for these portrayals, stating they regretted playing 'characters of other races', adding: 'we want to make it clear that it was wrong and we are very sorry.' In more recent times, Walliams stepped down from being a judge on Britain's Got Talent after tapes were released in which he made 'disrespectful comments' about contestants on the show. He apologised at the time, explaining they were private conversations that were 'never intended to be shared' but that he was 'sorry' nevertheless. And who can forget, HarperCollins – the publisher of his book, The World's Worst Children – removed a short story about a Chinese character called Brian Wong after accusations of 'casual racism'. As far as I can see, Walliams didn't apologise for this, but the publisher said: 'In consultation with our author and illustrator [Tony Ross] we can confirm that a new story will be written to replace 'Brian Wong'.' Quite a list. So when Walliams does a Nazi salute, even when it was an attempt at humour – a symbol of hate, genocide, and oppression – it isn't just a bad taste and off-colour remark. In my view, it's the record of someone who has repeatedly failed to listen or to know boundaries, after facing repercussions previously. And as far as I can see, he hasn't apologised or even addressed this latest controversy yet. It's not 'cancel culture' – as Walliams himself contended last year, calling it 'exhausting' – no, it's a matter of responsibility. It's about the obligation that comes with having a public voice and the very real consequences of downplaying serious wrongdoings. Bigger picture counts too. Globally, populism on the far-right is increasing, while fascist imagery and language are slowly reasserting themselves in popular culture. So a celebrity performing an offhand Nazi salute – even in what looks like a lighthearted setting and from someone who is not racist – is not an innocent nostalgic gesture or a misguided effort at humour. In my view, it's hate normalisation. In my opinion, Walliams' faux pas are a sure sign that he must be blacklisted on TV. It is not a matter of censoring comedy or stifling free speech, but more of not giving a forum to one who has violated the social line of decency and decorum. The BBC refusing to air the video was right, but not far enough. Walliams must not have access to the same forums that made him famous until he shows genuine accountability and respect to marginalised communities in Britain. It's not a witch hunt or social media outrage-driven over response. It's a call for standards – ones that I believe Walliams has repeatedly fallen short of. By continuing to grant him airtime, broadcasters send the message that his behaviour is acceptable as long as the perpetrator is a big enough name. More Trending Blacklisting David Walliams would be an absolute, necessary step towards sending the message that this kind of behavior is not going to be tolerated. It's about protecting the cultural topography from people who would belittle and hate others. If the BBC and other broadcasters who work with Walliams can commit – if they haven't already – to not including him on TV, radio, or any other media appearances in the future, the world would be much better off. It's about standing together with people who are targeted by these kinds of words and actions. And it's about getting the record straight that being 'funny' is no excuse for causing hurt or being hateful. View More » The time for excuses is over. The show has come to a close. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: The Ballymena riots are nothing to do with protecting women MORE: Brat summer is back: From tennis to the Euros to the Rugby World Cup, just watch as sporting queens go centre stage MORE: Doctor Who fans are convinced the show is dying – but they're wrong
Leader Live
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
David Walliams ‘gave Nazi salutes while recording BBC's Would I Lie To You?'
The 53-year-old, who left Britain's Got Talent in 2022 after making comments about the ITV show's contestants, is reported to have made the gesture twice during the filming of the show's Christmas special on Tuesday. He is reported to have made the salutes while his teammate on the show, Call The Midwife's Helen George, was telling a story about her experience on Strictly Come Dancing, in which she said she sprained her wrist from 'waving too much during the Strictly tour'. She was told by the opposing team, who she was trying to convince that her story was true, that her wave was 'too little', which is said to have led to Walliams joining in with a more vigorous wave which ended in a Nazi salute. Walliams, whose real name is David Edward Williams, was reportedly told off for the gesture by host Rob Brydon, before then performing another salute with a sexual connotation after some light-hearted lewd jokes about George's time on Strictly. The Times, who first reported the story, said team captain Lee Mack looked distinctly unimpressed by the incident. One person, who the newspaper says was a part of the audience during the show's filming, posted on X: 'I didn't have David Walliams doing a Nazi salute at the Would I Lie To You? Christmas taping on my 2025 bingo card.' It is understood that footage of the incident will not be broadcast. Walliams left Britain's Got Talent after he was caught making 'disrespectful comments' during breaks in filming about auditioning contestants in January 2020 at the London Palladium. Fremantle, which produces the ITV talent show, apologised after the comments were leaked and reached an 'amicable resolution' with Walliams after he sued the company for misuse of private information and breaching data law. A spokesperson for Banijay UK, which owns Would I Lie To You? production company Zeppotron, said: 'Any attempt at humour regarding this deeply offensive gesture, whether broadcast or not, is completely unacceptable in any context. 'It was immediately acknowledged during the recording that this segment would not be broadcast under any circumstances and we apologise to those who were at the recording for any offence caused.' A BBC spokesman added: 'The use of such an offensive gesture is completely unacceptable and we apologise to all at the recording for the offence caused.' Representatives for Walliams have been contacted for comment.
Express Tribune
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Comedian David Walliams sparks outrage with Nazi salute during BBC's Would I Lie To You? recording
Comedian David Walliams has sparked strong criticism, including from the BBC, after making Nazi salutes during a recording of the panel show Would I Lie To You? earlier this week. Walliams, also a former judge on Britain's Got Talent, performed the offensive gestures during a segment when another panellist joked about injuring their wrist while waving. According to The Times, Walliams mimicked the wave before raising his arm in the Nazi salute. The incident occurred at Pinewood Studios on Tuesday, where the Christmas special of the show was being filmed. Audience members were reportedly stunned by the gesture, with one journalist, Sebastian Topan, who was present at the recording, describing the atmosphere as 'uncomfortable and weird.' Topan told BBC News, "Some other panellist was talking when David Walliams started doing the Nazi salute... [There were] patches of quietened gasps and awkward half-laughs and broken clapping." Following the initial salute, Walliams reportedly repeated the gesture and added a sexual hand movement, further unsettling the audience. Host Rob Brydon informed Walliams that the show would be aired before the 9 p.m. watershed, suggesting the segment would be edited out. Banijay U.K., which produces Would I Lie To You?, condemned the act, stating that any attempt at humor involving such a 'deeply offensive gesture' is 'completely unacceptable in any context.' The company confirmed the segment would not be aired and apologized to the audience for any distress caused. The BBC also issued an apology, emphasizing that the gesture was 'completely unacceptable.' This controversy adds to Walliams' history of public backlash, as he left Britain's Got Talent in 2022 after a recording of him insulting contestants surfaced.
