COMEDIAN DAVID WALLIAMS has been chosen to receive a prestigious award at the upcoming Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards.

The British comic is also a prolific children’s author, whose books have sold over 20 million copies worldwide, and been translated into 53 languages.

Walliams has two Irish number-one bestselling titles already this year – with Blob and World’s Worst Children 2 – and hopes to keep that success going with his next book, Bad Dad, which is out on 2 November.

Walliams was enthused at the news that he would soon receive the International Recognition Award.

“This is delightful,” he said. “I am so pleased that my friends in Ireland have given me this huge honour.

I love writing books for children and will continue doing so for as long as people want to read them.

Walliams follows the likes of Jeffrey Archer, Jilly Cooper and Bill Bryson in taking the award.

For the first time this year, the Irish Book Awards will get a primetime TV slot, appearing on RTÉ One at 9.30pm on Wednesday 29 November, the day after the event.

There will be 15 categories in all, with previous winners at the awards featuring the great figures of Irish literature such as Anne Enright, John Banville and Seamus Heaney.

The shortlist of nominations for this year’s awards will be announced on 2 November.

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