David Walliams facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Walliams OBE
Walliams at the premiere for Pudsey the Dog: The Movie in 2014
Born	David Edward Williams (1971-08-20) 20 August 1971 (age 53) London, England
Alma mater	University of Bristol
Occupation	Actor comedian writer television personality
Years active	1995–present
Notable work	See filmography and bibliography
Spouse(s)	Lara Stone ​ ​ (m. 2010; div. 2015)​
Children	1
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David Edward Williams (born 20 August 1971), known professionally as David Walliams, is a famous English actor, comedian, writer, and TV personality. He is well-known for his comedy shows Little Britain (2003–2006) and Come Fly With Me (2010–2011), which he created with Matt Lucas.

David Walliams is also a very popular writer of children's books, having sold over 50 million copies around the world. From 2012 to 2022, he was a judge on the TV talent show Britain's Got Talent. He has also done a lot of charity work, including swimming the English Channel and the River Thames, raising millions of pounds for Sport Relief.

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 laboratory technician. David grew up in Banstead, Surrey, with his parents and sister, Julie.

He went to Collingwood Boys' School and Reigate Grammar School. From 1989 to 1992, he studied Drama at the University of Bristol. While on holiday from university in 1990, Walliams joined the National Youth Theatre. This is where he first met Matt Lucas, who would later become his comedy partner and friend. He changed his stage name to David Walliams when he joined the acting union, as there was already an actor named David Williams.

Television Shows

David Walliams has appeared in many TV shows and films. In 1999, he performed in a Doctor Who audio play. He also presented a documentary about James Bond in 2005. In 2007, he received good reviews for his acting in the drama Capturing Mary.

He played the comedian Frankie Howerd in a BBC Four film. In 2010, Walliams was in the comedy film Dinner for Schmucks. He also played an alien character named Gibbis in an episode of Doctor Who in 2011. In 2013 and 2014, Walliams starred as a chemistry teacher in the BBC One sitcom Big School, which he also helped create and write.

For Comic Relief's Red Nose Day 2015, Walliams appeared in a funny sketch. In 2015, he played Tommy Beresford in the BBC drama series Partners in Crime. He also created and starred in his own BBC sketch show called Walliams & Friend, which started in 2015. In 2017, Walliams became one of the "Voice Trumpets" for the children's TV show Teletubbies. In 2019, he became the host of the National Television Awards for 2020.

Working with Matt Lucas

David Walliams and Matt Lucas first met at the National Youth Theatre. They became well-known for their comedy series Rock Profile, where they played funny versions of famous musicians.

Their most famous show together is Little Britain, which ran from 2003 to 2009. In this show, Walliams played many memorable characters, like Emily Howard and Sebastian Love. The show was very popular and even had a successful live stage show called Little Britain Live in 2006. They also made a spin-off series in the United States called Little Britain USA.

After Little Britain, they created another popular comedy series called Come Fly with Me, which aired in 2010. The first episode was one of the most-watched comedy shows that year. In 2019, Little Britain returned for a special radio episode called Little Brexit.

Got Talent Shows

From 2012 to 2022, David Walliams was a judge on the ITV talent show Britain's Got Talent. He judged alongside Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and Simon Cowell. He won the award for Best TV Judge at the National Television Awards several times for his role on the show.

In 2022, Walliams also joined Australia's Got Talent as a judge for its tenth season. Later in 2022, Walliams decided to leave Britain's Got Talent after ten years. He was replaced by Bruno Tonioli.

Writing Books

David Walliams started writing children's novels in 2008. His books have been translated into 53 languages and have sold over 50 million copies worldwide. Many people compare his writing style to that of Roald Dahl. Some of his books have even been turned into TV films, where he has also appeared.

Children's Novels

Walliams at the WORD Christchurch Festival 2015, NZ

• The Boy in the Dress (2008): This was his first book, illustrated by Quentin Blake. It's about a 12-year-old boy named Dennis who loves to wear dresses. This book was made into a film in 2014.
• Mr Stink (2009): Also illustrated by Quentin Blake, this book tells the story of a 12-year-old girl who secretly helps a homeless man. It was made into a film in 2012.
• Billionaire Boy (2010): Illustrated by Tony Ross, this book is about Joe Spud, the richest 12-year-old in the country, who has everything but a friend.
• Gangsta Granny (2011): This book, also illustrated by Tony Ross, is about a boy named Ben who discovers his boring grandma was once a jewel thief. They plan to steal the crown jewels together. It won an award and was made into a film in 2013.
• Ratburger (2012): This story is about a girl named Zoe and her difficult life with an evil stepmother. It was adapted into a TV drama.
• Demon Dentist (2013): This book is about a boy named Alfie whose life changes when a new, strange dentist comes to town. It won a top prize at the Red House Children's Book Awards.
• Awful Auntie (2014): This book is about a girl named Stella whose mean aunt moves into her house.
• Grandpa's Great Escape (2015): This story follows a boy named Jack trying to rescue his grandpa, who has Alzheimer's disease, from a bad care home. It was adapted for BBC One.
• The Midnight Gang (2016): This book is about children in a hospital who go on adventures at night.
• Bad Dad (2017): This story is about a boy and his dad, who is a former racing driver, trying to escape from a gangster.
• The Ice Monster (2018): This book tells the story of a girl who discovers a 10,000-year-old woolly mammoth.
• Code Name Bananas (2020): Set during World War II, this book is about a boy and a gorilla.
• Spaceboy (2022): This novel was published in September 2022.
• Robodog (2023): This book, published in April 2023, is about a robot dog who joins the police.

Picture Books

David Walliams has also written several picture books, mostly illustrated by Tony Ross and later by Adam Stower. These include:

• The Slightly Annoying Elephant (2013)
• The First Hippo on the Moon (2014)
• The Queen's Orang-utan (2015)
• The Bear Who Went Boo! (2015)
• There's a Snake in My School! (2016)
• Boogie Bear (2018)
• Geronimo (2018)
• The Creature Choir (2019)
• Little Monsters (2020)
• Marmalade: The Orange Panda (2022)
• Grannysaurus (2022)
• Little Monsters Rule! (2023)

Short Story Collections

Walliams has written a series of short story collections called The World's Worst Children, The World's Worst Teachers, The World's Worst Parents, The World's Worst Pets, and The World's Worst Monsters. These books feature funny and often naughty characters.

In 2021, one story from The World's Worst Children was removed from future editions after a complaint that it was not appropriate. The book was republished in 2022 with a new story.

Other Work

Theatre

In 2008, David Walliams made his stage debut in a play called No Man's Land. In 2013, he played the character of Bottom in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 2014, he appeared on stage with the famous comedy group Monty Python during their live show.

Charity Work

David Walliams is well-known for his amazing charity efforts, especially for the BBC charity Sport Relief.

Swimming Challenges

• Swimming the English Channel (2006): On 4 July 2006, Walliams swam the English Channel for Sport Relief. It took him 10 hours and 34 minutes to swim the 22-mile (35 km) distance. He raised over £1 million for charity.
• Swimming the Strait of Gibraltar (2008): On 7 March 2008, Walliams swam the 12-mile Strait of Gibraltar from Spain to Morocco in just over 4 and a half hours, again for Sport Relief.
• Swimming the River Thames (2011): From 5 to 12 September 2011, Walliams swam the River Thames for 140 miles (225 km) from Lechlade to Westminster Bridge. He raised over £2 million for Sport Relief. This swim was very challenging and caused him some health issues.

Cycling and Other Events

In March 2010, Walliams and other celebrities cycled across the UK, raising over £1 million for Sport Relief. In March 2011, he took part in "24 Hour Panel People," where he appeared in many TV panel shows back-to-back for 24 hours to raise money for Comic Relief.

Personal Life

David Walliams' father passed away in 2007. In 2010, David married Dutch model Lara Stone. They had a son named Alfred in 2013. They later divorced in 2015.

Walliams has spoken about his mental health, including being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He has described his Channel swim as a way to overcome challenges.

Film and TV Appearances

David Walliams has appeared in many films and TV shows. Here are some of them:

Television

• Mash and Peas (1996)
• Rock Profile (1999–2009)
• Little Britain (2003–2008) - Also a writer
• Come Fly With Me (2010–2011) - Also a writer
• Doctor Who (2011) - Episode "The God Complex"
• Britain's Got Talent (2012–2022) - Judge
• Big School (2013–2014) - Also a creator and writer
• Gangsta Granny (2013) - TV film
• Partners in Crime (2015)
• Walliams and Friend (2015–2016) - Also a creator and writer
• Teletubbies (2017–present) - Voice Trumpet
• Australia's Got Talent (2022) - Judge
• Gangsta Granny Strikes Again! (2022) - TV film

Film

• Plunkett & Macleane (1999)
• Shaun of the Dead (2004) - Voice on TV
• Stardust (2007)
• The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) - Voice of Bulgy Bear
• Dinner for Schmucks (2010)
• Pudsey: The Movie (2014) - Voice of Pudsey
• Missing Link (2019) - Voice of Mr. Lemuel Lint
• Murder Mystery (2019)
• Twist (2021)

Awards and Recognition

David Walliams has received many awards for his work and charity efforts.

• In 2006, he won the Pride of Britain Award for "The Most Influential Public Figure" because of the money he raised by swimming the English Channel.
• At the National Television Awards in 2012, Walliams received the 'Landmark Achievement Award' for his TV career and charity work.
• He has won the Specsavers National Book Awards "Children's Book of the Year" multiple times for his novels, including Ratburger (2012), Demon Dentist (2013), and Awful Auntie (2014).
• Walliams won the award for Best TV Judge at the National Television Awards in 2015, 2018, and 2019 for his role on Britain's Got Talent.
• In 2017, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to charity and the arts. This is a special honour given by the King or Queen.

See also

In Spanish: David Walliams para niños