World of David Walliams closes for good at Alton Towers just five years after opening

The World of David Walliams, the children’s-book-themed area at Alton Towers, has been permanently closed, the Staffordshire theme park announced on Tuesday 3 November 2026. The land opened in 2021, so it lasted around five years.

What Alton Towers has said about the closure

The park’s explanation is low-key. A Merlin Entertainments spokesperson said the decision followed “our regular review of rides and attractions across the resort” as the 2026 peak season ended. Reports say it was made after weighing a range of operational and guest-experience considerations, though none of the sources spell out what those were. Plans for the site will be announced once confirmed, and visitors are being told to check the resort’s website and app for current opening details.

The area was built around characters from the author’s bestselling children’s books. Its attractions included Gangsta Granny: The Ride, a 360-degree special effects experience, along with Raj’s Bouncy Bottom Burp, the Royal Carousel and Flavio’s Fabulous Fandango. There was also Raj’s Shop and The Burger Kitchen. The park’s creative team developed it over several years with Walliams and HarperCollins Children’s Books.

The backdrop to the decision

Several outlets note that the closure comes after a turbulent period for the author. HarperCollins dropped Walliams in December 2025 following an investigation into allegations that he had harassed young women, and his back catalogue has reportedly stopped being published. The allegations were first reported by The Daily Telegraph. Walliams strongly denies behaving inappropriately. His spokesperson said at the time that he had never been told of any allegations raised by HarperCollins, was not part of any investigation, and was taking legal advice. None of the allegations has been tested in court.

Neither Alton Towers nor Merlin has linked the closure of the World of David Walliams to those events. Their stated reason is a routine annual review, and the sources offer no evidence either way beyond the timing. Deadline also reports that talent agency YMU is no longer actively representing him, following what a source described as amicable talks in early 2026.

A big name in children’s publishing

Walliams found fame in the early 2000s with Little Britain, alongside Matt Lucas. His first children’s book, The Boy in the Dress, came out in 2008. He has since published more than 40 books and sold over 60 million copies in 55 languages. Several titles, including Gangsta Granny and Billionaire Boy, were adapted for television. In 2022 he left Britain’s Got Talent after apologising for “disrespectful comments” about contestants that had been leaked.

For now, the future of the site is an open question. Alton Towers has promised an announcement but given no timetable, so what replaces the World of David Walliams remains unknown.

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File photo: Alton Towers – geograph.org.uk – 3087121.jpg by Steven Haslington, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.