Bill Bailey

Mark Robert 'Bill' Bailey, born 13 January 1965, is an English musician, comedian, actor and television presenter. He is known for his role as Manny in the sitcom Black Books (2000–2004) and for his regular appearances on the panel shows Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Have I Got News for You and QI, as well as for his stand-up work. He plays numerous instruments and incorporates music into his shows.

The Observer placed him among the 50 funniest figures in British comedy in 2003. In 2007, and again in 2010, he was voted the seventh greatest stand-up comedian in Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups list.

He appears in the film Hot Fuzz. In 2020, he won the 18th series of Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC's dance competition, with his professional partner Oti Mabuse; then aged 55, he is the oldest winner in the show's history (as of 2026). He has also raised funds for cancer research: he cycled 100 miles for the cause in honour of his mother, who died in 2005, and has raised awareness of prostate cancer through television, print and digital advertising. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Bath on 11 July 2018, became patron of the Musical Comedy Awards in 2024, and has written, among other works, Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to British Birds, Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to Happiness and My Animals, and Other Animals, a kind of memoir.