Walliams joy as new book Awful Auntie takes £1million in sales - in just three weeks

By Mail on Sunday Reporter

Published: 18:12 EST, 18 October 2014 | Updated: 18:12 EST, 18 October 2014

Awful Auntie, the new book by David Walliams, is the fastest selling of the year so far and has been compared to works by Roald Dahl

Awful Auntie, the new book by David Walliams, is the fastest selling of the year so far and has been compared to works by Roald Dahl

Little Britain star David Walliams is laughing all the way to the bank after his new children’s book notched up almost £1 million of sales in just three weeks.

The phenomenal success of Awful Auntie – the fastest selling book of the year so far – means that Walliams, 43, is set to become one of the country’s most successful children’s writers ever.

Shot through with black humour, the book, which has topped all the bestseller lists, follows the fortunes of Lady Stella Saxby, a recently orphaned heiress, and her beastly Aunt Alberta, who will do anything in her power to get her hands on the child’s fortune.

It is the actor’s seventh children’s book and critics are comparing his dark comic style to Roald Dahl. 

Philip Jones, the editor of trade magazine The Bookseller, said: ‘He is very much like Dahl – the books have an un-PC quality to them.

‘The books have a strong sense of realism. Kids pick up on this authenticity and are lapping up the books.’

The book has already sold just over 145,000 copies, raking in sales worth more than £850,000.

Its recommended retail price is £12.99, but it can be found in supermarkets for between £5 and £6. Walliams published his debut, The Boy In The Dress, in 2008 and has sold more than 4 million books in the UK alone.

The BBC has adapted two of his works, Mr Stink and Gangsta Granny, for television, and producers are working on a film version of The Boy In The Dress, to be shown at Christmas.

Wallaims pictured alongside former comedic partner Matt Lucas in sketch series Little Britain

Wallaims pictured alongside former comedic partner Matt Lucas in sketch series Little Britain