All my villains are based on Simon Cowell!

Starting in the Mail tomorrow, you can read riotous exclusive extracts from best-selling author DAVID WALLIAMS’ new book. Here, to whet your appetite, he reveals the secrets of his success to our young interviewers . . .

2020-06-26 -

FIrst he made a generation of grown-ups laugh in the comedy sketch show little Britain. Now, it’s the nation’s children, thanks to a succession of riotously funny best- selling books including Gangsta Granny, Mr stink and the Boy In the dress.

starting tomorrow and continuing on Monday, the daily Mail can reveal an exclusive glimpse of david walliams’ new book, the world’s worst Parents, in two rib-tickling extracts.

But first, we set out to discover the secret to the star’s literary success by giving a panel of his young fans the chance to ask him questions. this is what they discovered about the 48-year- old author and Britain’s Got talent judge.

What makes you laugh when you write? Daniel, 6

Myself! you can only guess what other people find funny, so when you’re writing, it’s important to try and make yourself laugh, as if you do, there’s a good chance you’ll make other people laugh, too.

Have your friends or family made you change a character or plot? Poppy, 12

By tHe time my family read my stories it’s too late, as they have already been published, so I can’t change it. I actually find that children are more likely to be honest than my mum, who will always say the book is brilliant, even if she thinks it’s awful.

How old were you when you wrote your first book? Faith, 13

I’M a late starter. I was 36 years old and it was the Boy In the dress, a story about a boy who goes to school dressed as a girl. It’s a celebration of being different, and being different is something I think we should all be proud of and it would be boring if we were all the same.

Which of your books relates most to your own life? Orla, 12

all my books reflect something about me: what I believe in, what I find funny, what I find scary. as an author, you have to write a story that you yourself would like to read.

Have you based any characters on your fellow Britain’s Got Talent judges? Macey-Jayne, 9

all My villains are based on simon cowell in one way or another. when I’m trying to dream up an evil character all I need to think is: ‘what would simon cowell do?’ But I’ve never based characters on amanda or alesha [david’s fellow BGt judges] because they’re too nice.

In your book Bad Dad, what was your favourite moment? Calum, 8

I lIked writing all the car chases because I was thinking back to the action films I used to watch with my dad, like the Italian Job and James Bond movies. I was trying to capture the excitement I felt then.

Why did you name your doggies Bert and Ernie? Ripley, 11

I Got Bert first. when I got ernie seven years later, I wanted a name that fitted with Bert, so I was thinking about the double act in sesame street who are called Bert and ernie.

What gave you the idea for slime made up of lots of disgusting things? Florence, 9

I was thinking that although we all like playing with slime, no one really knows where it came from, so I had to create a story around its invention. I thought that as slime is yucky, it should be made up of all the yucky things in the world mixed together.

What was your favourite book when you were a child? Jacob, 9

cHarlIe and the chocolate factory, by roald dahl. I wasn’t a big reader as a child until I discovered dahl, so I have him to thank, as if I hadn’t got into his books and enjoyed reading I may never have become a writer.

What’s your favourite saying for expressing delight? I say: ‘I’m chuffed to bits.’ Tobias, 9

I’M More likely to say: ‘thank goodness that’s over!’ because books always turn out to be a lot more work than you think they’re going to be.

Where is your favourite place to write stories? Charlotte Rose, 8

I doN’t mind where I am as long as I’m on my own, as you need to go into an imaginary world. If there’s lots of distractions, like people around, you end up losing your way.

Which of your characters is most like you and why? Hannah, 11

I’d quIte like to be raj from the Midnight Gang, running a sweet shop and making people happy all the time. But I’m probably most like dennis in the Boy in the dress, as I always played the girl parts in school plays.

Whose house would you like to send a herd of elephants to? Rafferty, age, 6

I’d actually like to send them to my house as I really like elephants and I think it’d be fun to have a house full of animals!

Who is your favourite character in all your books? Alice, 9

My favourIte is Burt in ratburger and I very much enjoyed playing him in the tv adaptation of the book as he is scary and funny. villains are very important for any story as they make things happen.

Have you been to the Arctic and seen a polar bear? Martha, 7

No I have not, but I would love to. However, polar bears do eat people, so I would keep my distance. or bring Matt lucas [david’s little Britain collaborator], as I think I can run faster than him.

How long does it take to write one book? Lillibette, 7

It always takes me twice as long as I originally think. the novels take around six months. I end up writing them very late at

night in tears! I think I can’t finish them and that I can never write another book. But then I always do.

I loved The Boy In The Dress stage show. Will more of your books be turned into musicals? Hannah, 9

There are many plans to turn my books into films, Tv shows and stage productions. I would love to see a musical of Gangsta Granny one day — I think that could go down a storm as that’s been my most popular book over the years. I was thrilled with the adaptation of The Boy In The dress by the royal Shakespeare Company with songs written by robbie Williams. I know all theatres in the UK are closed at the moment, but I hope it will be seen again soon.

How did you come up with the characters’ names in The World’s Worst Children books? Sophie, 12

I ThInK of names that suit my characters’ personalities and try and make them rhyme or have alliteration so they are memorable, like Windy Mindy or dribbling drew.

Were you like any of The World’s Worst Children at school? Sebastian, 7

I WaS definitely a show-off with not a lot of talent to back it up, so I’m probably a bit like Stacey Superstar, whose singing is so bad that the hall in which she performs falls to the ground.

My favourite book is There’s A Snake In My School! Would you have liked a pet snake to eat any of your teachers? Georgia, 5

I’d have definitely liked some of my

teachers to have been eaten, especially a dinner lady at my primary school who’d threaten you with a metal ladle if you turned your nose up at her disgusting food. She’d screech: ‘I’ll rap your knuckles faster than you can say Jack Sprat!’ — which always struck me as an odd thing to say. That’s why I still remember it 40 years later!