Top 10 David Walliams Moments

Since joining BGT in 2012, Walliams’ unique brand of bonkers humour has been one of the reality TV show’s biggest draws. Even Simon Cowell seems begrudgingly impressed with him, most of the time. But this moment from David’s debut series still stands out, as he joins the Showbears on stage for a wonderfully camp re-run of the group’s audition track. Ever the showman, Walliams rattles through the number as though he was born to perform it, prompting all of his fellow judges to stand and applaud.

This show hasstruggled to hit the same heights in the UK as it has done in the States… But if there’s ever an idea that seems custom-made for David Walliams, then “Lip Sync Battle” is it. David dons an extravagant outfit for his unique take on an Adele classic, turning a simple phone call into an epic production – complete with rose petals and a wind machine. The raw emotion is etched across his face throughout and, as he builds toward a majestic crescendo, the audience is loving every second of it.

Back in 2016, David had already risen up the ranks as one of the UK’s most popular celebs, and so was given the honour of hosting the “Royal Variety”. As was to be reasonably expected, it was a night crammed with classic jokes and casual innuendo… But it’s best remembered for when Walliams met Williams (Robbie, that is). The comedian and the crooner took to the stage with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall watching on, for a unique rendition of “Somethin’ Stupid”. Of course, Robbie famously covered the iconic love song with Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman, in 2001. But this was definitely a fresh take on the fan favourite.

Heading back once again to when David fist joined “Britain’s Got Talent”, only this time he and Simon are on the promo trail. The unlikely pair rocked up on “The Jonathan Ross Show” in 2012, to give one of its more unpredictable interviews. The stories centred on Simon certainly have the audience hooked, but Walliams makes the whole thing that much more hilarious. With trademark exuberance, he shows everyone why he was selected as a judge in the first place – because he’s relentlessly funny.

David Walliams and “Doctor Who” go way back, and long-standing fans will remember when he starred in the “Web of Caves” sketch on “Doctor Who Night” – alongside Mark Gatiss – in 1999. But his TARDIS time took another turn in 2011, when Walliams starred as Gibbis in “The God Complex”. Playing opposite Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor, Walliams’ character wasn’t exactly brave, noble or particularly likeable – but the cowardly creature was definitely memorable. And according to behind-the-scenes reports, David was one of the funniest guest stars ever to grace the set.

There’s much more to this guy than just the endless stream of silliness, you know. Ever since the late-2000s, Walliams has been steadily establishing himself as one of the UK’s most successful children’s book writers. Having already sold over 25 million copies of his stories, which have been translated into more than 50 languages, it’s tricky to pinpoint exactly when his literary career took off. But “Gangsta Granny” is arguably his best-known work. It was published in 2011, and adapted into a BBC film shown on Boxing Day in 2013.

David’s a regular when it comes to the comedy fundraisers, but some sketches stand out against the rest. In this hilarious spoof for “Comic Relief” in 2017, Walliams doubles up as Jeremy Kyle, to expertly parody the daytime talk show host. But the gag goes even further when the real Jeremy Kyle appears as a disgruntled guest, to face off with Dom Littlewood from the BBC. What follows is a series of spot-on impersonations from David, a string of sheepish shuffles in his seat from Dom, and a stonker of a shouting match with Kyle himself. Lovely.

In truth, it’s tough to pick just one of David’s characters from the award-winning mid-2000s sketch show, “Little Britain”. But above even Lou (from Lou and Andy) or Carol ‘Computer Says No’ Beer, there’s the ever-excitable Sebastian. As aide to the Prime Minister, Sebastian sees behind the scenes of British politics, but his gaze is firmly set on just one man – the PM himself. In a storyline that ran throughout the series, the character tries, fails and tries again to win his boss’ affections – with his flirtatious efforts spanning from the seemingly subtle to the quite obviously outrageous.

For our second helping of “Comic Relief”, David’s joined by all sorts of famous faces. But the storyline to this sketch isn’t exactly something to celebrate. First off, Walliams pays a visit to everyone’s favourite TV doctor, Christian Jessen – who swiftly insists that David gets in touch with everyonehe’s recently been intimate with. Cue a cavalcade of cameos, as the comic heads all around the country and the world, tracking down a string of stars from Gwyneth Paltrow to Richard and Judy. His list of past partners is a who’s who of celebrity, with each reveal more unexpected than the last.

We’ve already seen David’s comedic contributions to “Comic Relief”, but his crowning moments arguably came for “Sport Relief”. Despite insisting that prior to his first challenge he’d never seriously been involved with sport before, in 2006 he managed to swim the English Channel – navigating the 22-mile stretch of sea in 10 hours and 34 minutes, and raising more than £1 million. Two years later, he swam the Strait of Gibraltar. But in 2011, Walliams reached all new heights when he raised another £2 million by swimming the length of the River Thames. That’s 140 miles! In 8 Days! What a hero.