My spouse [Kristin Bailey] and I’ve an vintage mattress that we picked up once we had been travelling in Indonesia. There’s a practice of day beds there, and we had been most taken with this factor. We’ve a telly on the wall and we solely use it to observe movies, or sometimes a present we actually like. We organize ourselves with cushions and all the things – viewing could be very a lot an event. No snacks allowed – no crumbs in the mattress! However we would enable a discreet bowl of peanuts.
What have you ever been watching whereas reclining in your day mattress lately?
Severance was ingenious, effectively acted and so darkly humorous. I’m a giant fan of science fiction, so I beloved the adaptation of the Silo books – Rebecca Ferguson’s completely good. Andor is my favorite of all the Star Wars spin-offs. It’s visually thrilling and thrilling.
In the crime sequence My Life Is Homicide [the series finale is this week], you visitor-starred as a courier. How would you homicide somebody?
Is this an actual interview? Am I being screened by way of my solutions? I’m not a violent particular person. I don’t assume I’m succesful of doing that. I’d in all probability do it by accident. I’m fairly clumsy, so possibly I’d be on the prime of a cliff or one thing and swing my arm round and go, “It’s a stunning view over there! Oh… sorry!”
You received Strictly Come Dancing in 2020. Are you continue to busting strikes?
I’ve at all times beloved dancing. If there’s an occasion the place dancing is allowed, I’ve at all times flung myself into it with reckless abandon, however to know easy methods to do it correctly with the steps is simply implausible. It’s not a talent I ever need to lose. I at all times incorporate it into my present, whether or not it’s a bit of charleston or a bit of paso doble. Strictly took me out of my consolation zone, but it surely was an effective way to extend my confidence. It was such a joyous factor to do.
I learn that you could play 63 musical devices. Is that quantity correct?
Someone apparently labored it out, however since that random quantity was plucked from the ether, it retains increasing. I’ve taught myself the bagpipes and I’m additionally studying the trombone, the nyckelharpa [a Swedish bowed instrument] and the aerophone, which is sort of a synthesised clarinet. In my present, I prefer to play conventional devices, like the oud and saz, however I additionally like to make use of heaps of new tech, like an digital hurdy-gurdy.
What makes you content?
I like strolling. I’ve simply been doing a recce of the South Downs Approach, which is about 100 miles. I turned 60 this 12 months and my spouse requested me what I wished to do for it, and I stated to go for a giant stroll with a bunch of mates and household, so we’ll have about 30 or 40 folks there for this celebration. We’ve booked in a bit of tenting alongside the approach, which I like. I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie, too. A couple of years in the past when my son Dax was about 13 or 14, we went skydiving – it was exhilarating!
In your new live present, Thoughtifier, you discuss your perception that AI received’t replace humans. Why?
There’s a actual sense of it being a menace to sure jobs, like knowledge processing and even movie and TV modifying, however what AI doesn’t have is a artistic spark. I don’t assume it will ever replace human creativeness – that’s what offers me hope.
What does it imply for the future?
I feel live efficiency will tackle one other dimension as being one thing genuine – it will have a higher worth in consequence. Additionally, experiencing one thing collectively is an historical human want. I went into Abba Voyage sceptical, but it surely’s good. The music is all performed live by a implausible band, and that’s what offers it heat and immediacy. It’s like a hybridised live present. That’s what I’m going to do for my subsequent present – I’ll be in my conservatory and there will be some youthful, digital model of me capering about on stage.
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My Life Is Homicide airs Tuesdays at 9pm on U&Alibi – atone for Now.
Bill Bailey’s Thoughtifier is at choose venues from 22-31 August 2025 – tickets are available now.
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