Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Alton Towers closes World of David Walliams
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
Alton Towers has permanently closed the World of David Walliams, ending an attraction developed with the author and HarperCollins Children’s Books. The park says it regularly reviews its attractions, and the closure reflects operational and guest experience considerations; the decision matters because the area had been part of the resort since 2021.
The themed area included Gangsta Granny: The Ride, a 360-degree special effects attraction, Raj’s Bouncy Bottom Burp, Royal Carousel and Flavio’s Fabulous Fandango. Alton Towers has not confirmed what will replace it, saying plans for the area’s future use will be announced once confirmed. Walliams has published more than 40 books, which have sold over 60 million copies worldwide in 55 languages.
- Sources
- 2
- Outlets
- 2
- Left · Centre · Right
- 0 · 1 · 0
In short
- Alton Towers has permanently closed the World of David Walliams.
- The attraction opened in 2021 and featured four themed rides.
- The park has not confirmed what will happen to the area.
How this story developed
- 54 minutes ago Alton Towers has permanently closed the World of David Walliams, a themed area developed with the author and HarperCollins Children’s Books.
- 1 hour ago Alton Towers has permanently closed the World of David Walliams, ending an attraction developed with the author and HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Full account
Alton Towers has permanently closed the World of David Walliams, the family attraction based on characters from the author’s books. The section opened in 2021 after the resort’s creative team worked with Walliams and HarperCollins Children’s Books on its development. The park confirmed it would shut on Tuesday.
Rides and features included Gangsta Granny: The Ride, a 360-degree effects attraction, alongside Raj’s Bouncy Bottom Burp, Royal Carousel and Flavio’s Fabulous Fandango. Alton Towers said it routinely reviews parts of its attraction line-up. It did not set out a specific reason for this closure; the reports say operational and guest-experience considerations were taken into account. The future use of the area has not yet been announced.
The closure comes as the 2026 peak season ends, according to Merlin Entertainments, the resort’s owner. Alton Towers separately advised visitors to check its website and app for current opening information outside the main season. The BBC report says plans for the site will be shared when confirmed, while Deadline focused on the timing of the decision and its commercial context.
Walliams first became widely known through the comedy series Little Britain, which he made with Matt Lucas, and published his first children’s book, The Boy in the Dress, in 2008. The BBC highlights his publishing success, reporting more than 60 million copies sold worldwide in 55 languages. Deadline gives more attention to recent professional developments: HarperCollins has dropped him following misconduct allegations, which Walliams has denied, and his profile was removed from talent agency YMU’s website after the agency ceased actively representing him. Neither report says these events caused the theme park closure.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
The BBC report centres on the park’s announcement, the rides and Walliams’s children’s books; Deadline adds the end-of-season timing and details about HarperCollins and YMU.
The BBC says the area’s future use will be announced once plans are confirmed. Deadline does not discuss those plans, and instead places the closure alongside recent changes in Walliams’s professional relationships.
The reports phrase the timing differently: the BBC says the attraction would close on Tuesday, while Deadline says the permanent closure follows the end of the 2026 peak season.
Explained simply
Alton Towers is a theme park in Staffordshire, England, with rides and areas built around different themes. The World of David Walliams opened there in 2021, drawing on characters and stories from books by the British author.
The area was developed with Walliams and HarperCollins Children’s Books, his publisher. Its attractions included Gangsta Granny: The Ride, a carousel and rides aimed at younger visitors. Walliams’s books have sold widely and several have been adapted for television, making the area part of a broader effort to bring familiar stories into the park.