Bill Bailey: Dress casual and enjoy yourself!
Despite having one of the world's most recognisable brands of off-the-wall comedy, Bill Bailey says he is taking things back a notch for his new tour, Limboland.
The 51-year-old entertainer is touring the country until May 2016. with dates across the UK and beyond, but this time out, he says the show is much more personal, and offers his fans an insight into the real him.
Bailey is recognisable for his regular guest appearances on quiz shows like QI and Never Mind the Buzzcocks, along with acting roles in shows such as Black Books and Skins. However, stand up comedy has been his main staple for many years, and the form he regularly gravitates back towards.
Music plays a huge part of those shows, with Bailey himself a classically trained musician. Rather than overloading an audience with musical theory though, he uses his background an understanding to push the boundaries of what they think they know, by fusing different styles of music together:
Embarking on such a massive tour is not without its highs and lows. Bill's tour bus was recently stolen from outside the Liverpool Philharmonic, sparking an online search to find it.
When asked how he keeps himself fresh every night, Bill says it's a combination of making the most of your free time - he's an avid walker and a big fan of the outdoors - and the unique feeling that comes with stepping onto the stage to hundreds of expectant fans:
Away from comedy, Bill is a keen naturalist, making a documentary strand in 2013, travelling to Borneo to profile his hero and rival to Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace.
He has also had a plant named after him, the 'Nepenthes Bill Bailey' and jokingly says his next goal is to get a crater on the moon named in his honour. He also hopes to return to more acting in the near future with 'one or two' projects in the pipeline.
Until then, Limboland will be preoccupying him for the foreseeable future:
Click below to watch Bill Bailey's chat with Josh Stead: