Is It Bill Bailey? is a stand up/sketch comedy series written by and starring Bill Bailey. One series of six episodes was produced and aired on BBC Two in 1998. Is It Bill Bailey? was the first show Bailey wrote and presented.
Each episode features Bailey performing an amount of stand-up comedy on stage, interspersed with comedy sketches starring himself and other actors. As well as performing parodies of pop songs or performers, Bailey deconstructs music from television shows such as Doctor Who or Starsky and Hutch.
The programme was produced by BBC Scotland and many of the sketches feature Scottish actors such as Forbes Masson and Ford Kiernan. Geraldine McNulty, Norman Lovett and Simon Pegg also feature. Additional material was also contributed by frequent collaborators Sean Lock and Martin Trenaman. The series ran for six episodes but has never been repeated, recommissioned, or released on DVD.
Many songs and routines featured in the show were first performed in his Cosmic Jam tour and TV show Asylum. A few others were later used during his Bewilderness tour.
The title is derived from the Rizla game, the opening credits of the show showing Bill with a Rizla on his forehead, bearing his own name.
Comments
What a great show! I recognised a few jokes from his later Stand-up tours, but still made me laugh. Love Bill. Great to see Simon Pegg turn up every now and again! Solid 9/10, so will give it a 5 on here. Really easy watching.