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
Signature

David Walliams (born 20 August 1971) is a super famous English comedian, actor, writer, and TV star. He is best known for his hilarious comedy shows like Little Britain and Come Fly With Me, which he created with his friend Matt Lucas. From 2012 to 2022, David was a judge on the popular TV talent show Britain's Got Talent.

But that's not all! David Walliams is also a best-selling author of children's books. He has sold over 50 million copies of his books around the world. Many of his books have even been turned into TV films, and he often appears in them too!

David has won many awards, including 'Best TV Judge' for his work on Britain's Got Talent several times. He also received a special award called the OBE in 2017 for his amazing charity work and contributions to the arts. He's done some incredible things for charity, like 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 dad was an engineer, and his mum was a laboratory technician. David grew up in Banstead, Surrey, with his parents and his sister, Julie.

He went to school in Wallington and Reigate. After school, he studied drama at the University of Bristol. While he was at university, he also joined the National Youth Theatre. This is where he first met his future comedy partner and good friend, Matt Lucas. David changed his stage name to Walliams because there was already another actor named David Williams when he joined an acting union.

TV Shows and Movies

David Walliams has been in many TV shows and movies. In 1999, he was in a Doctor Who audio play. He also presented a documentary about James Bond in 2005.

In 2007, he got great reviews for his acting in the TV drama Capturing Mary. He played a tricky character in that show. He also played the comedian Frankie Howerd in a TV film. In 2010, David appeared in the comedy movie Dinner for Schmucks with Paul Rudd and Steve Carell. He even played a strange alien called Gibbis in an episode of Doctor Who in 2011!

From 2013 to 2014, David wrote and starred in the TV show Big School. He played a chemistry teacher named Keith Church. In 2015, he starred as Tommy Beresford in the BBC drama Partners in Crime. He also wrote and starred in his own sketch comedy show called Walliams & Friend.

David has hosted big TV events like the Royal Variety Performance and a Christmas special of Blankety Blank. In 2017, he became one of the "Voice Trumpets" in the children's TV show Teletubbies. In 2020, he became the host of the National Television Awards, a big awards show for TV.

Working with Matt Lucas

David Walliams and Matt Lucas first met at the National Youth Theatre. They became good friends and started working together. They played funny characters in shows like Rock Profile and Mash and Peas.

Their most famous show together is Little Britain. It was a huge hit from 2003 to 2009. They played many different, often silly, characters. They even did a live stage show called Little Britain Live. Later, they made another popular show called Come Fly with Me, which was about an airport.

Got Talent Shows

From 2012 to 2022, David Walliams was a judge on Britain's Got Talent. He sat on the judging panel with Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and Simon Cowell. He was very popular with viewers and won the 'Best TV Judge' award at the National Television Awards several times.

In 2022, David also joined Australia's Got Talent as a judge for its tenth season. He judged alongside Alesha Dixon and Australian actors Kate Ritchie and Shane Jacobson.

Writing Books for Kids

David Walliams at a book festival in New Zealand in 2015.

David Walliams started writing children's books in 2008. His first book, The Boy in the Dress, was illustrated by the famous artist Quentin Blake.

His second book, Mr Stink, came out in 2009. It's about a girl who helps a homeless man. This book won an award and was made into a TV film in 2012.

In 2010, he published Billionaire Boy. This story is about Joe Spud, the richest 12-year-old in the country, who has everything but a friend. This was the first of his books to be illustrated by Tony Ross, who has illustrated many of his books since.

Gangsta Granny was released in 2011. It's about a boy named Ben who finds out his grandma used to be a jewel thief! They plan to steal the crown jewels together. This book also won an award and was made into a TV film in 2013.

Other popular books by David Walliams include:

• Ratburger (2012): About a girl named Zoe with a mean stepmother.
• Demon Dentist (2013): About a boy whose world changes when a new dentist arrives.
• Awful Auntie (2014): About a girl whose aunt moves into her house.
• Grandpa's Great Escape (2015): About a boy trying to rescue his grandpa from a care home.
• The Midnight Gang (2016)
• Bad Dad (2017)
• The Ice Monster (2018)
• Code Name Bananas (2020)
• Spaceboy (2022)
• Robodog (2023)

David has also written several picture books for younger children, like The Slightly Annoying Elephant and The First Hippo on the Moon. He also has a series of short story collections called The World's Worst Children, The World's Worst Teachers, and The World's Worst Pets.

Other Fun Projects

Theatre

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

Podcasts

David hosts a classical music podcast for children called David Walliams' Marvellous Musical Podcast. It's produced by Classic FM and won an award in 2020.

Helping Charities

David Walliams is well-known for his amazing charity work. He has raised millions of pounds for Sport Relief, a charity that helps people in need.

• Swimming the English Channel: In 2006, David swam the English Channel! It took him 10 hours and 34 minutes to swim the 22 miles (35 km). He raised over £1 million for Sport Relief.
• Swimming the Strait of Gibraltar: In 2008, he swam the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain to Morocco. This 12-mile (19 km) swim took him just over 4 and a half hours.
• Cycling Across the UK: In 2010, David and other celebrities cycled all the way across the UK, raising over £1 million for Sport Relief.
• 24 Hour Panel People: In 2011, David took part in 19 different TV panel shows back-to-back for 24 hours straight to raise money for Comic Relief.
• Swimming the River Thames: From 5 to 12 September 2011, David swam the entire length of the River Thames! This was a huge challenge, covering 140 miles (225 km), and he raised over £2 million for Sport Relief.

Personal Life

In 2007, David's father, Peter, sadly passed away from cancer.

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

David has spoken about having bipolar disorder, and he has said that his big charity swims helped him feel better.

Filmography

Television

Film

Theatre

Awards and Special Mentions

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

• In 2006, he won the Pride of Britain Award for "The Most Influential Public Figure" because he raised so much money swimming the English Channel.
• At the 2012 National Television Awards, David won the 'Landmark Achievement Award' for his amazing TV career and his achievements for Sport Relief.
• His children's books have won many awards too! Ratburger, Demon Dentist, and Awful Auntie all won the Specsavers National Book Awards "Children's Book of the Year".
• He has won the 'Best TV Judge' award at the National Television Awards in 2015, 2018, and 2019 for his role on Britain's Got Talent.
• In 2017, he was given the OBE award by Princess Anne for his services to charity and the arts.

Images for kids

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  David Walliams' signature

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  A robot for kids