David Walliams becomes first children’s author to reach 100 weeks at number one

DAVID WALLIAMS has become the first author to spend 100 weeks at the top of the Children’s Book Chart.

The comedian’s record is for 100 non-consecutive weeks, but is a milestone that even children’s literature heavyweights such as JK Rowling, Jacqueline Wilson and Julia Donaldson have not achieved.

Britain’s Got Talent judge Walliams has been published by HarperCollins since his first book, the award-winning The Boy In The Dress, was released in 2008, followed by 2009’s Mr Stink.

Gangsta Granny, published in 2011, was the first that he reached number one in the Children’s Book Chart with and every one of his kids’ books since then has hit the top spot, including his two The World’s Worst Children collections of short stories.

Walliams went on to have publishing successes with titles including Awful Auntie, Ratburger, and There’s A Snake In My School, with Grandpa’s Great Escape being named the biggest-selling title of 2016.

Christmas 2016 marked another achievement for Walliams when The Midnight Gang was named the Christmas number one book, the first time a children’s author had triumphed since Rowling’s The Tales Of Beedle The Bard in 2008.

So far in 2017, Walliams has already scored four number ones – with The Midnight Gang, Grandpa’s Great Escape, The World’s Worst Children 2 and Blob, which was top of the charts for World Book Day – and eight of the top 20 best-sellers this year are his.

Walliams said: “I never dreamed of this scale of success.

“Thank you so much to everyone who bought the books and made this happen.

“It is incredible news but all that really matters is that children are reading and enjoying my books.”

HarperCollins Children’s Books executive publisher Ann-Janine Murtagh said: “Since we published The Boy In The Dress in 2008 his books have captured the imaginations of millions of children and achieved the most extraordinary success with book after book hitting the number one slot.

“To enjoy a number one is a great moment for any author; to enjoy 100 weeks at the top is truly phenomenal and we congratulate David on his landmark achievement.”

Internationally, Walliams has sold 19.3 million copies of his books and been translated into 50 languages.