Lookalike agencies have seen a sharp rise in requests for impersonators of Russell Brand and David Walliams after both celebrities made headlines this week.
Brand was sentenced on Monday to ten years and six months in prison for one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault against four women. The following day, former Britain’s Got Talent judge David Walliams was named in connection with allegations of sexual misconduct after a High Court legal battle to block his identity being made public. Some of the allegations say he groomed girls as young as 15.
Surge in bookings
Since then, lookalike companies have been inundated with demand for impersonators of the two stars. Andy Harmer, owner of Lookalikes and former David Beckham impersonator, said: “I literally haven’t had a booking for them for years and then the last couple of weeks, they’re the most popular characters out of everyone I’ve got on my website.”
Harmer, who started out as a lookalike in the late 90s, worked as a David Beckham impersonator for more than 20 years. He now runs his own agency and outsources look-alikes to interested parties.
“First of all, I got one call, and I thought, oh god, it’s just people having a laugh, but now I’m getting like four or five phone calls a day for Russell Brands,” he said.
Struggling to meet demand
Harmer used to have regular lookalikes for both Brand and Walliams, but they both recently retired from the impersonations business for reasons unrelated to the recent media storm surrounding the two celebs.
However, this has left Harmer struggling to meet demand; he hopes the recent surge might entice some new lookalikes to join up. “I’m thinking, it might mean more people come in and contact me now,” he said.
Commenting on the kinds of people looking for Brand and Walliams lookalikes, Harmer said, “I think most of these people want to make social media content - bad news is better than good news. It’s the shock factor, it gets more hits, makes more conversation, you know.”
Unusual requests not uncommon
Harmer told the Daily Star how the demand for sinister lookalikes isn’t as unusual as you might think. “On my website I’ve got serial killers, I’ve got the likes of Adolf Hitler and people like that,” he said.
“I once had an inquiry for Dr Harold Shipman to turn up at a christening.” Andy Harmer is about to publish his autobiography, ‘In Beckham’s Boots’.
