David Walliams Biography

Childhood.
Born David Edward Williams in Banstead, Surrey to Kathleen and Pete Williams on August 20 1971. David is the youngest of two. His older sibling is called Julie.
David showed an interest in acting and dressing up from a very early age. He has often spoken fondly about his sister dressing him up like a little girl dolly from the age of three.
Growing up David became obsessed with TV and theatre (with Frankie Howerd, Doctor Who, Are You Being Served and Michael Gambon amongst his biggest obsessions.) Severely bullied at school and at the Sea Scouts, he developed characters he would act out to keep these bullies at bay.
He realised that acting and dressing up was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life when he got to play the Queen of England in a school play and found he could make people laugh. Soon being a performer was what he became known for at school. It was a spark of happiness in a time marred by the problems at school. Teased for being camp, David took it even further and became “Daphne”. He did find one friend at school called Robin Dashwood, with whom he obsessed over The Pet Shop Boys.
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Early years
In 1989 David became part of the National Youth Theatre, where he was seen as a big talent and soon received very big parts. It was there that he first met someone called Matt Lucas, with whom he soon became close friends.
David started at Bristol University that same year, where he developed his comedy side. He begun his first comedy partnership with Jason Bradbury (now a TV presenter.) Called Bunce and Burner, they became mildly successful and might have made some impact, had Jason not gotten a big TV job.
David graduated and went on as a writer for TV (Ant and Dec) and is still remembered as the lift in Incredible Games and gained a cult following with his performance in Games World. David was also often seen in The Sunday Show and gave a memorable performance as Soft Alan, The Biggest Fruit in the World, in Shooting Stars.
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With Matt
In 1995 David and Matt decided that, not only were they great friends, they’d be a great partnership as well. They begun writing together and toured the country with three Sir Bernard Chumley reviews, in which David performed a great array of characters. These characters included early incarnations of: Des Kaye and Peter Andre, and others that would later return in Little Britain. The tour always ended up at the Edinburgh Festival where their audience grew each year. The show gained them a cult following and gave them several big chances: radio show demo’s, a Channel 4 short film: “You Are Here”, and a series called “Barking” that singled David out as the star and also featured early Catherine Tate appearances.
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Solo again
Still, big success didn’t come yet, so David took on a few solo parts. One of the lead parts in Attachments, a BBC drama gave him a small glimpse of what the big time would look like. His name and picture were suddenly seen in the papers. Parts in: drama Coming Soon, comedy the Kidnappers, and movie Plunkett and Macleane and the third lead in Dawn French comedy drama Ted and Alice followed. He was one of the big leads in BBC movie Cruise of the Gods. There were also memorable cameo’s, non more so then Vulva in Spaced, a part that is still rated amongst his best.
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Rock Profile/Little Britain on radio
Still, after working solo for a while David and Matt decided that they needed each other, and when the BBC offered them a slot on TV they came up with the TV series: Sir Bernard’s Stately Homes. Although it might have worked as a Comic Strip like TV movies, the concept didn’t work as a series and flopped.
Shocked by the horrible reactions, the pair decided to split up again, were it not that they had contracts to do a totally different show: Rock Profile, a low budget show for UKPlay, a BBC owned satellite channel. Joined by Jamie Theakston the pair played different music stars interviewed by Jamie. Every week a different duo was questioned by a straight faced Theakston. It was a cult success and saw them growing in popularity week by week. Soon they were asked to perform in character at award shows and TOTP. They had celebrity fans including: Robbie Williams, George Michael and Geri Halliwell. Success wouldn’t be far off.
Meanwhile they had also acquired a weekly BBC radio show called Little Britain, which grew and grew in audience each week. The BBC thought it might be time this was turned into a TV show.
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Tragedy
But before this could happen David first had to recover from severe depression. Trauma’s from his youth and several other factors had started haunting him. Suffering from severe depression and exhaustion, as is the illness had prevented him from sleeping for over 9 months David was taken into a clinic. Ever the professional David fought to recover in time for the recordings, and was in front of the camera’s less then three weeks after leaving hospital.
David still suffers from panic attacks and other problems. He also has a terrible fear of being alone, one of the reasons he prefers to attend showbiz functions to being at home. He also still has trouble sleeping and needs medication.
In later years David admitted he suffers from manic depression.
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Little Britain
With David back in front of the camera, Little Britain was recorded. And it was a success from the moment it was released. The characters catchphrases were on everybody’s lips the day after the first broadcast. It was launched on BBC3, a much ridiculed and hardly ever watched channel. Little Britain, though, put it on the map and pulled in millions. Soon the series moved to BBC2, then it quickly went up to BBC1. The show has been broadcast in over 40 countries and is always on rerun somewhere on TV. Gay citizens of Poland even credits Little Britain with helping their emancipation.

They also gained famous fans, including: King of Pop Michael Jackson, Elton John, George Michael, Samuel L. Jackson, Steve Martin, David Schwimmer (whom directed part of the USA series) and many others.
After two successful seasons it was decided that, after series 3 was released the pair would tour the country with a stage version of the show. This tour was a mega success, playing hundreds of dates in the country, then selling out over 50 shows in London, after which a huge tour in Australia followed.
Soon after the tour ended the pair begun work on Little Britain USA. This series too was successful, with HBO hoping to secure a follow-up. David and Matt refused and wanted to do something else (including more solo work).
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Solo

David also continued doing solo work, including parts in: Causality, The Bill, Eastenders, Miss Marple, A Cock and Bull Story, and Stoned.
He was also seen (or heard in Hollywood movies): Run Fat Boy Run, Stardust, and: Narnia Prince Caspian.

David also started returning to his first love: serious acting. With a well received lead in BBC’s Poliakoff movie drama: Capturing Mary, and the difficult role of his icon Frankie Howerd in the drama: “Rather You Than Me”.

At this moment David is concentrating on novel writing, with his first book: “The Boy in the Dress” out in 2008. In 2009  his follow up “Mr. Stink” hit the shelves (for which he won a PEOPLE'S BOOK PRIZE Award). After that Billionaire Boy came out and was one of the biggest hits of the year. New novel Gangsta Granny will be released late 2011 while he has signed on for atleast two more books.
Meanwhile his first two books are now turned into a movie and a musical

In 2010 he married Lara Stone and his first two Hollywood movies were released.

He also wrote a new series with Matt titled: "Come Fly With Me". The series received millions of viewers around the world and was quickly recomissioned.

In 2011 David starred as Gibbis in Doctor Who, presented Awfully Good and Wall of Fame and recorded new series The Royal Bodyguard with Sir David Jason.

He is writing a new TV show about a dysfunctional teacher and will be starring in the upcoming adaptation of Great Expectations.
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Charity

David has been working for charity for most of his life. Even when he was just a little boy he was already collecting money for Comic Relief. He performed Rowan Atkinson routines and collected money in a bucket.

Whether by grueling performing challenges in public: swimming the Channel and the Straits of Gibraltar, cycling the length of Britain or presenting 24 hours on end for Comic/Sport Relief. In 2011 David risked his life and health by swimming the lenght of the Thames, 140 miles, in 8 days!!

Or in silence by donating money, endless hours of his time or giving away personal belongings to be auctioned for a good cause. Even his wedding was part of charity with David asking guests to donate to Elton John’s Aids fund instead of giving presents.

You can find him in hospital, visiting sick children or wounded soldiers, speaking for CRY or at many  a charity function.

He has even bought a house for, and is sending monthly support to, a family in India.

David feels that he has been put in his position to help and has said that he is determined to make the world a better place. He has admitted that there is no length he will not go to to help.
A person like David is a rare treasure ..

Find info, pictures and video’s on David’s charity work and his challenges for Sport/Comic Relief here:
http://davidwalliamsrelief.wordpress.com/