David Walliams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Walliams
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Walliams at the premiere for Pudsey the Dog: The Movie in 2014
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David Edward Williams
20 August 1971 London, England
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| Alma mater | University of Bristol |
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| Years active | 1995–present |
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Notable work
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See filmography and bibliography |
| Spouse(s) | Lara Stone (married 2010–2015) |
| Children | 1 |
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David Edward Williams (born 20 August 1971), known to everyone as David Walliams, is an English actor, comedian, writer, and television star. He is famous for his work with Matt Lucas on the BBC comedy shows Little Britain and Come Fly With Me.
Walliams is also one of the most popular children's authors in the world. He has sold more than 50 million books, and they have been translated into 53 languages. Many people compare his funny and heartfelt writing style to the famous author Roald Dahl.
From 2012 to 2022, Walliams was a judge on the TV talent show Britain's Got Talent. He was so popular that he won the National Television Award for Best TV Judge four times.
For his work in the arts and for charity, Walliams was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2017. He has raised millions of pounds for charity by completing amazing swimming challenges.
Contents
Early Life and School
David Walliams was born in Wimbledon, London, in 1971. His father, Peter, was an engineer, and his mother, Kathleen, was a lab technician. He grew up in Banstead, Surrey, with his parents and his sister Julie.
He went to Reigate Grammar School in Surrey. From 1989 to 1992, he studied Drama at the University of Bristol. During his university holidays, he joined the National Youth Theatre. It was there that he met his future comedy partner and friend, Matt Lucas.
When he started acting, he had to change his name from David Williams to David Walliams because there was already an actor with the same name.
Television Career
Walliams has appeared in many television shows. He acted in an episode of the popular science-fiction show Doctor Who in 2011, playing an alien named Gibbis. He also starred in and co-wrote the BBC One comedy series Big School from 2013 to 2014.
In 2015, he played the detective Tommy Beresford in the BBC series Partners in Crime, based on the books by Agatha Christie.
Working with Matt Lucas
Walliams and Matt Lucas first met at the National Youth Theatre and quickly became friends. In the late 1990s, they created a comedy show called Rock Profile, where they pretended to be famous rock musicians.
Their biggest success together was the sketch show Little Britain, which was on TV from 2003 to 2009. They played many strange and hilarious characters that became very famous in the UK. The show was so popular that they even created a live stage version called Little Britain Live.
In 2010, they created another comedy series called Come Fly with Me. It was set in an airport and they played almost all the characters, from pilots to check-in staff.
Being a TV Judge
From 2012 to 2022, Walliams was a judge on the popular ITV talent show Britain's Got Talent, alongside Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, and Alesha Dixon. He was known for his funny and kind comments to the contestants. For his role on the show, he won the National Television Award for Best Judge in 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2020.
In 2022, he was also a judge on the tenth season of Australia's Got Talent.
A Famous Children's Author
In 2008, Walliams began a new career as a children's author. His books quickly became bestsellers and are loved by kids all over the world. Many of his books are illustrated by Tony Ross.
Popular Novels
- The Boy in the Dress (2008) was his first book. It's about a 12-year-old boy named Dennis who loves football and fashion.
- Mr Stink (2009) tells the story of a girl who becomes friends with a local tramp and decides to hide him in her family's shed.
- Billionaire Boy (2010) is about Joe Spud, the richest 12-year-old in the world. Joe has everything he could ever want, except for a friend.
- Gangsta Granny (2011) is about a boy named Ben who thinks his granny is boring. But he soon discovers she has a secret past as an international jewel thief!
- Ratburger (2012) follows a young girl named Zoe who must protect her pet rat from her evil stepmother.
- Demon Dentist (2013) is a spooky and funny story about a boy named Alfie who discovers that the new dentist in town is not what she seems.
- Awful Auntie (2014) tells the story of a girl named Stella who must outsmart her terrible aunt Alberta to save her family home.
- Grandpa's Great Escape (2015) is about a boy named Jack who helps his grandpa, a former World War II pilot, escape from his care home.
Many of his books, including Mr Stink, Gangsta Granny, and Billionaire Boy, have been turned into popular television films.
The World's Worst... Series
Walliams has also written a series of short story collections, including The World's Worst Children, The World's Worst Teachers, and The World's Worst Pets. These books are filled with hilariously horrible characters.
Sometimes, authors update their stories to make sure they are fun and respectful for everyone. In future editions of The World's Worst Children, one of the original stories was replaced with a brand new one.
Charity Work
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Walliams is well known for taking on incredible challenges to raise money for the charity Sport Relief.
- Swimming the English Channel: In 2006, he swam the 22-mile (35 km) English Channel. It took him 10 hours and 34 minutes, and he raised over £1 million for charity.
- Swimming the Strait of Gibraltar: In 2008, he swam the 12-mile (19 km) Strait of Gibraltar from Spain to Morocco.
- Swimming the Thames: In 2011, he swam 140 miles (225 km) of the River Thames over eight days. This difficult swim raised more than £2 million for Sport Relief.
He has also taken part in charity cycling events and hosted TV telethons to help raise money for good causes.
Personal Life
Walliams was married to Dutch model Lara Stone from 2010 to 2015. They have one child, a son named Alfred, who was born in 2013.
Awards and Honours
- Walliams won the "Pride of Britain Award" in 2006 for his charity swim across the English Channel.
- He has won the "Children's Book of the Year" award at the National Book Awards multiple times for books like Ratburger, Demon Dentist, and Awful Auntie.
- He won the National Television Award for "Best TV Judge" four times for his work on Britain's Got Talent.
- In 2017, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by the Queen for his services to charity and the arts.
See also
In Spanish: David Walliams para niños
