Bill Bailey (I)

Portrait of the artist: Bill Bailey, comedian and music

'I had a plan that Talking Heads would come to the West Country, think "Who's that guy?", and ask me to join them'

Bill Bailey hones his craft in Highlands

Bill Bailey - what a talented man! A few friends and I were lucky enough to have the directors' box at the Playhouse last night, where he wowed with his brilliant show, Dandelion Mind (Gently Modified).

The first of the three programmes is The Story of Music Hall, which explores the history of music hall, presented by Michael Grade - something he has an interest in as his Uncle Lou had a music hall act, which consisted of dancing the Charleston on a table.

This documentary was a mixed bag. There were several nuggets about how the music hall led to the creation of modern comedy. The early comedians were comic songsters. Strange to think that the most traditional comedians in this sense today come in the form of performers like Bill Bailey and The Mighty Boosh.

Also it's interesting to know that music hall acts still had the same concerns about class as later generations had, and some might say still have. The acts were also sometimes political, although they had very little impact as not many people who attended music hall could vote. My particular favourite piece of information was that the vast majority of music hall entertainers and audiences were conservative. Considering that now just about every comedian tries to be left-wing and avoids anything that is remotely Tory, it's a big change to the way things were.

However, much of this programme was also quite dull. Rather than concentrating on the performers the programme was often looking at agents or the businessmen running things. Grade doesn't come across as a great TV presenter, either. Not that he was the worst person on it. That dishonourable title goes to Dr. Oliver Double, who is a professor of stand-up comedy. How much money would you pay to avoid someone with a title like that?

The big interview: Bill Bailey

"Madness, music, mayhem and mandolins ... but no magic." That's how Bill Bailey describes his latest comedy tour, Dandelion Mind, which wends its merry way to Yorkshire next month with gigs in Sheffield and York.

Video: Bill Bailey reworks Gary Numan's Cars

Bill Bailey pokes fun at Nick Clegg, the Pope and Simon Cowell in his stand up show "Dandelion Mind".

But the comedian told BBC Breakfast that singer James Blunt stood out as an easy target for comedy.

His show, which is about to tour the UK, mixes musical re-workings with observations on contemporary life.

Bill Bailey's guide to scary film soundtracks

The comedian and orchestra appreciator on what makes for good malevolent music.

Bill Bailey to star in Doctor Who Christmas special

Bill Bailey is to appear in this year's Doctor Who Christmas special, with Alexander Armstrong, Outnumbered actress Claire Skinner and The Fast Show's Arabella Weir.

Bill Bailey's bunker: The world in chaos - video

Bill Bailey's new video series is coming to us straight from his underground bunker. In this first episode, he gets straight to the point - the world as we know it is ending. According to something he read on a website, geomagnetic reversal is going to turn everything upside down in 2012. It's going to be chaos! But why are people panic-buying trampolines?

Video - Bill Bailey: How I covered Gary Numan's Cars

Previewing his series of video blogs on the Guardian's website, comedian and musician Bill Bailey and his band perform a rendition of Gary Numan's electro-pop classic Cars. With 'appropriate' instrumentation. In French.

Bill Bailey: My family values

The comedian talks about his family.