Bill Bailey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bill Bailey
Bailey in 2021
Birth name	Mark Robert Bailey
Born	(1965-01-13) 13 January 1965 (age 60) Keynsham, Somerset, England
Education	Westfield College London College of Music
Years active	1989–present
Genres	Musical comedy, political satire, surreal humour
Spouse	Kristin Brunt ​ (m. 1998)​
Children	1

Mark Robert Bailey (born 13 January 1965), known as Bill Bailey, is a famous English musician, comedian, actor, and TV presenter. He is well-known for playing Manny in the TV show Black Books (2000–2004). He also appeared regularly on popular panel shows like Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Have I Got News for You, and QI. Bill Bailey is also famous for his stand-up comedy shows, where he often uses many different musical instruments.

In 2003, The Observer newspaper named him one of the 50 funniest people in British comedy. He was voted the seventh greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups in both 2007 and 2010. Bill Bailey also appeared in the movie Hot Fuzz. In 2020, he won the 18th series of the BBC dancing competition Strictly Come Dancing with his dance partner Oti Mabuse. At 55 years old, he became the oldest winner in the show's history.

Bill Bailey helps raise money for cancer research. He walked 100 miles to honor his mother, who passed away in 2005. He also helps spread awareness about prostate cancer through TV and online ads. In 2018, the University of Bath gave him an honorary doctorate degree. He has written several books, including Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to British Birds and Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to Happiness.

Growing Up and School

Mark Robert Bailey was born on 13 January 1965 in Keynsham, Somerset, England. His father was a doctor, and his mother was a nurse. Bill spent most of his childhood in Keynsham, a town between Bath and Bristol.

He went to King Edward's School, Bath, which is an independent school. He was a very smart student. Around age 15, he joined a school band called Behind Closed Doors. Bill is a trained musician and was the only student at his school to study music at a high level, getting an A grade. He was also good at sports, even captaining the school's cricket team. His music teacher gave him the nickname "Bill" because he could play the song "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey" so well on the guitar.

After school, Bill started studying English at Westfield College in London but left after one year. He also earned a diploma from the London College of Music.

Comedy Career

Starting Stand-Up Comedy

Bill Bailey began performing comedy around the country with other comedians. In 1984, he formed a comedy duo called the Rubber Bishops. This is where he started to create his unique style, mixing music parodies with funny twists on traditional jokes.

Later, in 1994, Bill performed a show called Rock at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with comedian Sean Lock. The show wasn't very popular at first, and sometimes only a few people came to watch. Bill almost quit comedy to work in sales.

However, the next year, he went solo with his one-man show Bill Bailey's Cosmic Jam. This show combined his unique jokes with music. It was performed at the Bloomsbury Theatre in London and later shown on Channel 4 in 1997 as a special called Bill Bailey Live. In 1996, his show at the Edinburgh Festival was nominated for a top comedy award. In 1999, Bill Bailey won the Best Live Stand-Up award at the British Comedy Awards.

Television Appearances

Bill Bailey first appeared on TV in the late 1980s on a children's show called Motormouth, where he played piano for a mind-reading dog. In 1998, he wrote and presented his own BBC TV show, Is It Bill Bailey?.

Over the years, Bill appeared as a guest on many TV shows, including Have I Got News for You and Room 101. He also had a role in three episodes of the Channel 4 sitcom Spaced, playing a comic-shop manager. In 2000, he got a main role as Manny Bianco in the Channel 4 sitcom Black Books, which was about a grumpy bookshop owner. Three series of this popular show were made.

In 2002, Bill became a team captain on the music panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks. He left the show in 2008. He has also appeared many times on the intellectual panel game QI since it started in 2003, alongside host Stephen Fry and regular guest Alan Davies.

Bill Bailey also hosted his own show called Comic's Choice in 2011. In 2006, he presented Wild Thing I Love You on Channel 4, a series about protecting wild animals in Britain. He helped re-home badgers, owls, and water voles.

In 2011, Bill Bailey played Droxil in the Doctor Who Christmas Special, The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe. He also presented a two-part documentary in 2013 called Bill Bailey's Jungle Hero, which explored the life of explorer Alfred Russel Wallace in Indonesia and Borneo.

In late 2020, Bill Bailey competed in the 18th series of Strictly Come Dancing. He won the competition with his partner, Oti Mabuse, becoming the oldest winner at 55.

International Comedy Tours

In 2001, Bill Bailey started touring the world with his show Bewilderness. A recording of this show was released on DVD and shown on Channel 4. This show was also successful in America. It featured his popular music parodies and unique jokes.

In 2003, he premiered his show Part Troll at the 2003 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It was very popular, and tickets for his London shows sold out quickly. He toured this show across the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and the US. A DVD of Part Troll was released in 2004.

His 1995 show Bill Bailey's Cosmic Jam was released on DVD in 2005. His Tinselworm tour in 2007 had sold-out shows, including at the MEN Arena in Manchester and Wembley Arena.

In 2012, his world tour called Qualmpeddler visited the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. In 2018, he toured his show The Earl of Whimsy in New Zealand. In 2021, Bill Bailey started touring his new show, En Route To Normal, in the UK and Ireland, and later in Europe and Australia in 2022.

Music in Comedy

Bailey performing in 2007

Bill Bailey plays many musical instruments and uses music a lot in his comedy. He has perfect pitch, meaning he can identify any musical note just by hearing it. His stand-up shows often include music from different styles like jazz, rock, and classical, usually for laughs. He often plays the keyboard, guitar, theremin, kazoo, and bongos.

In 2007, Bill performed with the BBC Concert Orchestra in a show called Cosmic Shindig. This show featured orchestral versions of his songs and new musical pieces. In 2008, he performed Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to the Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall with the BBC Concert Orchestra.

In 2011, Bill performed at the Sonisphere Festival in Knebworth. He later released an album called In Metal, which featured songs from his Sonisphere performance.

Personal Life

Bill Bailey lives in Hammersmith, London, with his wife Kristin. They got married in 1998 in Indonesia. Their son, Dax, was born in 2003.

Bill is a big fan of the Queens Park Rangers football team and the TV show Star Trek. There is even a carnivorous pitcher plant named after him, Nepenthes x Bill Bailey. He also enjoys standup paddleboarding (SUP).

Activism and Views

Bill Bailey supports the Labour Party in the UK. He is also a feminist and supports the Fawcett Society, which works for women's rights. He also speaks out about men's health issues, especially raising awareness for prostate cancer.

He is a supporter of International Animal Rescue and has helped their campaign to rescue dancing bears. He has also campaigned for the Sumatran Orangutan Society. For his work in protecting the environment, he received an honorary doctorate in conservation from the Australian University of the Sunshine Coast in 2014.

Tours

DVD Releases

CD Releases

Film and TV Roles

Awards and Nominations

Images for kids

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  Bill Bailey performing at the Royal Albert Hall in 2008

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  Bill Bailey hosting So You Think You're Funny

See also

In Spanish: Bill Bailey para niños