What is David Walliams' Net Worth and Salary?
David Walliams is an English comedian, actor, author, and television personality who has a net worth of $25 million. David Walliams is best known for his work alongside Matt Lucas on the BBC series "Little Britain" and "Come Fly With Me." Among his myriad other credits, he served as a judge on the television competition show "Britain's Got Talent"; created, wrote, and starred on the BBC sitcom "Big School"; and wrote and starred on his own sketch comedy series "Walliams & Friend." As an author, he has penned many popular children's novels and picture books.
Britain's Got Talent Salary
David Walliams' salary per season of "Britain's Got Talent" is 1.8 million pounds. We know this because in October 2020, his two female co-hosts Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon learned that David was being paid significantly more for equal work. Amanda had been earning 700,000 pounds per season. Alesha was earning 400,000 pounds per season. Upon learning of the pay discrepancy Amanda and Alesha demanded equal pay. Their other co-host, Simon Cowell, (who is also executive producer/creator of the show) subsequently agreed to increase their salaries to match Walliams' 1.5 million pounds per season.
Early Life and Education
David Walliams was born as David Williams on August 20, 1971 in London, England to London Transport engineer Peter and laboratory technician Kathleen. He grew up with his sister Julie in the residential area of Nork in Banstead, Surrey, and was educated at Reigate Grammar School and Collingwood Boys' School. For his higher education, Walliams went to the University of Bristol, from which he graduated with a degree in drama in 1992.
Partnership with Matt Lucas
Walliams is best known for his many collaborations with fellow actor, comedian, and writer Matt Lucas, whom he first met in the early 90s when they were performing with the National Youth Theatre. The first television series created by the duo was the sketch show "Mash and Peas," which aired from 1996 to 1997. They next wrote and starred on the BBC Two mockumentary series "Sir Bernard's Stately Homes" in 1998. The year after that, Walliams and Lucas created another, longer-running mockumentary series called "Rock Profile."
Walliams and Lucas achieved their most widespread recognition yet in 2003 when they debuted their sketch comedy series "Little Britain," which ran on the BBC until 2007. On the show, Walliams played such colorful characters as deluded transvestite Emily Howard and crazed Scottish hotelier Ray McCooney. "Little Britain" was so popular that it spawned a live stage show, seasonal and charity specials, and a television ad campaign. Walliams and Lucas reunited in 2010 to create the six-part mockumentary series "Come Fly With Me," which aired on BBC One.
Other Television Credits
Among his other major television credits, Walliams served as a judge on the ITV1 talent competition show "Britain's Got Talent" from 2012 to 2022. He was joined by Amanda Holden, Simon Cowell, and Alesha Dixon. During that period of time, Walliams had many other credits. For BBC One, he created and starred on the sitcom "Big School"; starred in the six-part series "Partners in Crime"; and co-created and starred on the sketch show "Walliams & Friend." He also starred in the television film "Gangsta Granny," based on his children's book, and on the sitcom "Sandylands," which aired on Gold.
Elsewhere on television, Walliams has appeared on many panel, talk, and variety shows, including "Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway," "A League of Their Own," and "The Nightly Show." He has also acted in some dramas, such as the 2007 BBC Two film "Capturing Mary," costarring Maggie Smith and Ruth Wilson.
Film Career
On the big screen, Walliams made his debut in the 1999 historical action comedy "Plunkett & Macleane," which also featured his comedy partner Matt Lucas. He went on to play small roles in such films as "Stardust" and "Virgin Territory." In 2010, Walliams had a supporting part in the comedy "Dinner for Schmucks." Two years after that, he played Uncle Pumblechook in Mike Newell and David Nicholls's adaptation of "Great Expectations." His other film credits have included "Pudsey the Dog: The Movie," "Missing Link," "Murder Mystery," and "Twist."
Getty Images
Books
Walliams has been prolific as an author, especially of children's novels and picture books. His first children's book was "The Boy in the Dress," illustrated by Quentin Blake and published in 2008. Walliams reunited with Blake the next year for his second book, "Mr. Stink." He went on to begin a long partnership with illustrator Tony Ross, who worked with Walliams on such books as "Billionaire Boy," "Gangsta Granny," "Ratburger," "Awful Auntie," "Slime," and "Megamonster." Many of these books have been adapted into stage productions. Walliams has also penned some short story collections with illustrations by Ross.
Controversies
Walliams has been involved in an array of controversies throughout his career. In 2006, he was criticized for his "Hide the Sausage" sketch during the "Little Britain Live" tour, in which he played a fictional sex offender who attempted to kiss, grope, and disrobe members of the audience who volunteered to come on stage. Walliams would pull down the pants of young men and simulate anal sex. He performed this sketch at many other subsequent shows, and continued to receive backlash.
Walliams has also courted backlash for racial insensitivity and making derogatory comments. In 2017, he was derided for posting a picture of himself dressed as North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un for Halloween. Walliams, as well as Matt Lucas, have also been widely criticized for their use of blackface on their shows "Little Britain" and "Come Fly With Me," as well as for the shows' many stereotypes of minorities.
Personal Life and Charity
In 2009, Walliams dated 18-year-old model Lauren Budd. After they broke up, he dated Dutch model Lara Stone, whom he married in 2010. Together, they had a son named Alfred before divorcing in 2015.
Significantly involved in charity, Walliams has swum various major bodies of water, including the English Channel and the Strait of Gibraltar, to raise money for Sport Relief.
