David Walliams Biography: Little Britain, BGT and Bestselling Books

November 10, 2026

Daniel Reed

David Walliams biography: David Walliams is an English comedian, actor and children’s author best known as the co-creator of the BBC sketch show Little Britain, a judge on Britain’s Got Talent from 2012 to 2022, and the author of more than 30 bestselling children’s books, including Gangsta Granny and The Boy in the Dress. Born David Edward Williams on 20 August 1971 in Wimbledon, London, he was appointed OBE in 2017. In November 2026 he returned to the headlines after a Guardian and ITV News investigation into sexual-misconduct allegations, which he denies; he has not been charged with any crime.

Quick facts

Full name: David Edward Williams
Born: 20 August 1971, Wimbledon, London, England
Nationality: English
Occupation: Comedian, actor, writer, television personality
Known for: Little Britain; Come Fly with Me; Britain’s Got Talent judge; children’s books
Education: Reigate Grammar School; University of Bristol (BA Drama, 1992)
Spouse: Lara Stone (married 2010, divorced 2015)
Children: One son, Alfred (born 2013)
Honours: OBE (2017, for services to the arts and charity)

Early life and background

David Edward Williams was born on 20 August 1971 at St Teresa’s Maternity Hospital in Wimbledon, London, to Peter Williams, a London Transport engineer, and Kathleen Williams, a laboratory technician. He grew up with his sister Julie in Nork, Banstead, Surrey, attending Collingwood Boys’ School in Wallington and Reigate Grammar School, then studied drama at the University of Bristol, graduating in 1992. During university holidays he performed with the National Youth Theatre, where in 1990 he met Matt Lucas, the collaborator who would define his early career. He later changed his professional surname from Williams to Walliams on joining the actors’ union Equity, because another member was already registered as David Williams. He has spoken publicly about living with bipolar disorder.

David Walliams biography: Little Britain and the Lucas years

Walliams and Lucas worked together through the late 1990s on shows including Rock Profile and Mash and Peas, before creating Little Britain. The sketch show began on BBC Radio 4, moved to BBC Three in 2003 and then to BBC One, running until 2009 including specials, with an American spin-off, Little Britain USA, in 2008 and a sell-out stage tour in 2006. Its catchphrase characters — Lou and Andy, Vicky Pollard, Daffyd Thomas and Marjorie Dawes — made the pair among the most powerful figures in British TV comedy. The duo’s follow-up, the airport mockumentary Come Fly with Me (2010–2011), drew the third-largest audience of Christmas Day 2010 for its first episode. The two have not worked together publicly since early 2011.

Alongside the double act, Walliams built a solo acting career: Stephen Poliakoff’s Capturing Mary (2007), Frankie Howerd in the BBC Four film Rather You Than Me, the Hollywood comedy Dinner for Schmucks (2010), Gibbis in the Doctor Who episode “The God Complex” (2011), and Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Noël Coward Theatre in 2013. He created and starred in the BBC One sitcom Big School (2013–2014) as chemistry teacher Keith Church, opposite Catherine Tate, and played Tommy Beresford in the BBC’s Agatha Christie adaptation Partners in Crime (2015).

Britain’s Got Talent judge, 2012–2022

In 2012 Walliams joined the judging panel of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent alongside Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon, replacing Michael McIntyre. He became the panel’s comic centrepiece, winning Best TV Judge at the National Television Awards in 2015, 2018 and 2019, and hosted the NTAs themselves in 2020. He left the show in November 2022 after leaked recordings emerged of derogatory and sexually explicit remarks he had made about contestants during a 2020 recording. He apologised, and Bruno Tonioli replaced him on the panel. He also judged the 2022 series of Australia’s Got Talent.

Children’s books: from The Boy in the Dress to 50 million copies

Walliams signed with HarperCollins in early 2008 for two children’s books. His debut, The Boy in the Dress, illustrated by Quentin Blake, was published on 1 November 2008. It was followed by Mr Stink (2009), Billionaire Boy (2010), Gangsta Granny (2011), Demon Dentist (2013), Awful Auntie (2014), The Midnight Gang (2016), Bad Dad (2017) and Spaceboy (2022), along with picture books and the World’s Worst Children collections. Several were adapted into BBC One Christmas films, including Mr Stink (2012) and Gangsta Granny (2013). His books have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide and been translated into 53 languages, according to figures cited by Wikipedia; The Times in November 2026 put the total above 60 million copies in 55 languages.

The publishing relationship ended abruptly: HarperCollins terminated his contract in December 2025 after a year-long internal investigation into alleged inappropriate behaviour towards young women at the company, claims Walliams denied. In September 2026 the publisher confirmed it would also stop publishing his back catalogue, with print stock, e-books and audiobooks phased out. A “World of David Walliams” themed area at Alton Towers, opened in 2021, closed permanently at the end of the 2026 season, with no reason given.

Charity work

Walliams raised millions for Sport Relief and Comic Relief through endurance swims. He swam the English Channel on 4 July 2006 — 22 miles in 10 hours 34 minutes, raising more than £1 million — crossed the Strait of Gibraltar with James Cracknell in March 2008, and swam 140 miles of the River Thames over eight days in September 2011, raising more than £2 million despite contracting giardiasis and injuring a disc in his back. He also cycled from Land’s End to John o’ Groats in March 2010, raising more than £1 million. He received the Pride of Britain Award for Most Influential Public Figure in 2006 and was appointed OBE in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to the arts and charity. His autobiography, Camp David, was published in 2012.

Personal life

Walliams married Dutch model Lara Stone on 16 May 2010 at Claridge’s Hotel in London. Their son, Alfred, was born on 6 May 2013. The couple divorced in 2015, with the decree nisi granted on 10 September 2015. No current partner has been publicly confirmed since the divorce. In November 2016 the pair reached a High Court agreement dividing a fortune reported at the time as £19 million.

November 2026: Guardian and ITV News investigation

On 10 November 2026, The Guardian and ITV News published a joint investigation, three years in the making, in which multiple women accused Walliams of sexual misconduct and grooming, including two women who said they first met him when they were 15. The investigation also covered alleged inappropriate conduct at Britain’s Got Talent and at HarperCollins; reporters said they had spoken to more than 100 people, including more than 30 sources with first-hand accounts. Walliams had sought a High Court injunction to prevent publication of the allegations and his identity. On 3 November 2026, Mr Justice Nicklin dismissed the claim and refused the injunction, finding that it would be an exceptionally serious restriction on freedom of expression; his lawyers had argued publication would put him at serious risk. The deadline to appeal passed at 4:30pm on Monday 9 November 2026 with no appeal filed, and his name was published the next day.

Walliams denies all of the allegations. His lawyers told The Guardian he never engaged in grooming young women and denied any sexual contact with the 15-year-old named in the investigation, describing allegations of serious criminal conduct as false. In a letter to the journalists he wrote that he was “not a sexual predator” and had “not broken the law”, while also saying that looking back he realised he had at times “behaved thoughtlessly” towards people he had casual sexual relationships with and regretted not always taking their feelings properly into account. He has not been charged with any crime. ITV broadcast the documentary David Walliams: Power and Silence on the evening of 10 November 2026.

The same day, the BBC said it was reviewing all material featuring or written by Walliams on its platforms and was removing some programmes, including Little Britain, from BBC iPlayer while the review continued. The Labour Party suspended his membership, his literary agency Independent Talent Group dropped him, and Comic Relief and the children’s hospice Rainbows both confirmed he was no longer a trustee or patron.

Net worth snapshot

David Walliams’ net worth is estimated at roughly £15 million to £22 million (about $19 million to $27 million) as of November 2026, based on trade estimates; Celebrity Net Worth lists $25 million. No Forbes, Bloomberg or Hurun estimate of his fortune has been published, and Walliams has never confirmed a figure. His wealth was built on a decade of Britain’s Got Talent fees and one of the biggest-selling children’s book careers in Britain — but both of those income streams have now been cut off. For the full breakdown, see David Walliams’ net worth.

Frequently asked questions

Who is David Walliams?

David Walliams is an English comedian, actor and children’s author, born David Edward Williams on 20 August 1971 in Wimbledon, London. He co-created the BBC sketch show Little Britain with Matt Lucas, judged Britain’s Got Talent from 2012 to 2022, and has written more than 30 bestselling children’s books, including Gangsta Granny and The Boy in the Dress.

Why was David Walliams in the news on 10 November 2026?

On 10 November 2026, The Guardian and ITV News published a joint investigation accusing David Walliams of sexual misconduct and grooming. He had failed in a High Court bid to block publication, and his name was published after the appeal deadline passed. Walliams denies all allegations and has not been charged with any crime.

Is David Walliams still a judge on Britain’s Got Talent?

No. David Walliams was a judge on Britain’s Got Talent from 2012 to 2022. He left in November 2022 after leaked recordings of derogatory remarks he made about contestants, and Bruno Tonioli replaced him on the panel.

Who is David Walliams’ wife?

David Walliams was married to Dutch model Lara Stone from 2010 to 2015. They have one son, Alfred, born in 2013. He has not remarried, and no current partner has been publicly confirmed.

How many books has David Walliams sold?

David Walliams’ children’s books have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide and been translated into 53 languages, according to figures cited by Wikipedia; The Times in November 2026 put the total above 60 million copies in 55 languages. His publisher HarperCollins ended the relationship in December 2025 and stopped publishing his back catalogue in September 2026.