English Writer David Walliams Presents New Book at St George's International School

On Thursday 4 December 2025, English actor, comedian, writer and television personality David Walliams visited St George's International School in Luxembourg-Hamm to introduce children to his new book Santa & Son.

Born in 1971 in London, David Edward Williams (known professionally as David Walliams) grew up in Banstead, Surrey, and later studied drama at the University of Bristol. He first rose to fame as a comedian and actor, notably through the early-2000s British sketch comedy series Little Britain. Since 2008, he has built a successful career as a children's author, having written a total of 44 books, with bestsellers including Gangsta Granny, Mr Stink and the World's Worst series.

The author visited Luxembourg for the first time to present his newest title, which was released in October 2025, distribute signed copies to the pupils and share the backstories behind some of his bestselling works.

After a lively entrance into the auditorium, David Walliams thanked the audience for an "incredible welcome" and began with a humorous remark: "So, today, I'm going to talk to you about my favourite subject - me." After a moment of laughter from the audience, he continued: "No, I’m going to talk to you about my books, my love of reading and my love of writing, and hopefully inspire you to read more and write more, too."

The author notably presented several of his books, starting with his first comedic novel The Boy in the Dress, inspired by a childhood memory of wearing a wedding dress in a school cast and receiving a lot of laughs from his peers.

He explained that the idea behind Gangsta Granny came from spending time with his own grandmother and imagining "a granny with a secret", which led him to create this fictional comedy about an international jewel thief.

David Walliams continued by performing a couple of short scenes from his stories, combining them with anecdotes from his own life and quotes from the books.

When introducing the World’s Worst Teachers tales, he invited the public to engage with him and share their experiences, both good and bad, with teachers at school.

Throughout the event, the author interacted closely with the children, encouraging participation and engaging in short personal conversations with each member of the young audience, who were eager to participate.

He quipped: "The real reason I came to Luxembourg was to research World's Worst Teachers 2."

David Walliams rounded off his visit by reading letters he had received from fans, featuring a selection he found particularly humorous and self-deprecating.

The presentation concluded with the author responding to questions and the opportunity for students and staff to have a photograph with him. Asked why he started writing, he explained that his main motivations were his passion for reading and "having a story to tell".

St George's Primary Librarian Gillian McLeod, who arranged the visit, said she was ecstatic to welcome the author. "David Walliams' books are among the most popular in our Primary school library, so having him come to speak with our students is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," she noted.

St George's Principal Zeba Clarke stated: "Every year we arrange visits with poets, illustrators, storytellers and novelists. It's vital to bring stories to life for our students and they become even more invested in reading. Reading is so critical for long-term wellbeing and success. The chance to hear writers and illustrators share what inspires them, their processes and how they came to do this job gives our students more respect for their own reading and writing. Often the guests pass on fantastic tips and ideas to inspire the next generation of authors and that is certainly what happened today."

EO