All I want for Christmas...
David Walliams, one half of the hit TV show Little Britain, talks to Maxine Clayman about his Christmases past, present – and future
For once, David Walliams was happy not to be the star of the show. Because as Mary and Joseph paraded to the front of the church, followed by a donkey, David was quietly sitting in the audience – with his beloved nephew Eddie beside him. 'Taking Eddie to the Christmas nativity play last year was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life.' he says. 'I wasn't prepared for how much I'd love my nephew, but he's an amazing little boy and having children around makes being at home for Christmas even more special.' I am meeting David over a coffee to discuss his newest project, a children's book, and find he is far more calm, thoughtful and shy than I would have imagined from the co-creator of some of our zaniest comedy characters.
'My nephew is only two,' David continues, 'but he's already a huge star – at least to me. Being with him stirs up such powerful emotions. And I guess it's an instinctive thing, but all I want to do is protect him. I'd love to have a wife and children of my own. In fact I'd like to have three kids so we'd have a little gang.
Laydee in waiting? A young David, here with sister Julie, dresses the part
Single but happy
'It's weird that I've been single during a period of my life when I've had the most success. It would be great to have someone special to share it with, especially at Christmas.
'But I'm happy being single. And children can be hard work. At the moment I'm not in the right place, I've got too much going on with my career to give them the love and attention they need.
'Besides,' he laughs, 'I'm only 37 and I think Charlie Chaplin was in his seventies when his youngest child was born, so I'm not worried.'
My worst present ever
Growing up, David loved Christmas but says, 'The most embarrassing presents were from my grandma. She knitted me outfits for my Action Man. It wasn't that they didn't fit; sadly, they did. It's more that a woollen jumpsuit isn't exactly in keeping with Action Man's hard image. But I dressed him in them as I didn't want to upset her.'
David spends Christmas Day with his immediate family in Banstead, Surrey.
'We do all the usual things, turkey lunch and the Queen's Speech. I went to a
reception at Buckingham Palace for young achievers after swimming the Channel a couple of years ago. So it's a bit different watching the Queen on TV, having met her. Now we call her and give her our critique afterwards,' he jokes.
'And for me, it's just not Christmas unless I'm at home,' he reveals. 'My mum always makes her own sausage rolls. She's kept to the same recipe for 37 years, so even the smell of them makes me feel happy. I do think it's great that all the rules about eating go out the window at Christmas. When else can you have chocolates for breakfast and Stilton and nuts at 1am?'
However, the season is tinged with sadness now. Just before Christmas last year David lost his father, Peter, to liver cancer at the age of 71. For such a close family it was a shattering blow – both his parents saw David complete his Channel swim, and said it was their proudest moment. David admits Christmas is now a tough time for everyone.
As for the future, not content with that Channel swim (which raised over £1 million for Sports Relief), taking Little Britain to America and appearing on stage in London's West End, David has published his first children's book The Boy In The Dress.
'I wanted to create a story for kids rooted in the real world,' he explains. 'It's about a boy who goes to school dressed up as a girl. The message is that it should be okay to be different. Dennis, the main character is brave and a real individual. He's how I wish I'd been at 12.'
David chose to dedicate his book to Eddie. 'He's too young to be able to read it yet, but I thought it would be a special thing to do,' he says. 'He's made me realise how important children are in our lives, so I'm grateful to him – I can't wait to see him opening his presents from Santa this year.'
The Boy In The Dress, (HarperCollins) is out now
Charlie Chaplin had a child when he was in his seventies, so I'm not worried yet