Doha Film Festival Pulls Fing! After Misconduct Allegations Against David Walliams

The Doha Film Festival has removed the film Fing! from its programme, following sexual misconduct allegations against David Walliams, who co-wrote its screenplay. Deadline reported that the festival confirmed the removal.

The film was due to have its international premiere as part of the festival's gala lineup. Ticketholders for the Doha gala were told the screening was cancelled and that they would receive full refunds. The festival runs from 19 to 27 November 2026.

Fing! is based on Walliams' 2019 children's book of the same name. It stars Taika Waititi, Mia Wasikowska, Matt Lucas and Iona Bell, and was directed by Jeffrey Walker. It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in the United States earlier this year.

Walliams has denied the allegations against him. He has also sought an injunction to stop the publication of a joint investigation by ITN News and The Guardian, according to Deadline.

The film's producers have said they cut Walliams from a cameo scene. Other partners have also stepped back. Sky pulled out as the UK and Ireland licensee of the film. In Australia, the distributor Transmission Films said it will remove Walliams from its publicity for Fing!, and the streamer distributor Stan said it will no longer release the film.

Angel Studios has not followed the same path. On Tuesday, the company said it was going ahead with its scheduled release of Fing! in early 2027.

For readers outside the film business, the chain of decisions here is typical. A festival picks films months in advance, a broadcaster or streamer buys the rights for its country, and a distributor plans the marketing. When one link breaks, each of the others has to decide whether to keep going. In this case, some partners have stopped and at least one has not.