UK:Bill Bailey to enter Eurovision

Musical stand-up Bill Bailey is to put himself forward for the United Kingdom's next entry for the Eurovision Song Contest.

"What the public wants, the public gets. And it seems that the question on the lips of the nation at the moment is: "Will Bill be entering Eurovision?" - Bill Bailey

Interest arose from several internet petitions, asking Bailey to enter the contest.

One attracted over 300 signatures. As a result, apparently Bailey has decided to put himself forward for the 2008 contest.

He is also going to let his fans decide which song he will use.

Bailey has always had a love of music. He used to be part of a band called, The Famous Five, which consisted of only four members. Later, he formed a musical double-act with Martin Stubbs called The Rubber Bishops. Stubbs later quit the act, and Bailey teamed up with Sean Lock in an Edinburgh show called Rock in 1994.

A year later, he went solo with his show Cosmic Jam.Apart from his stand-up tours, Bailey is now best known for being a team captain on the musical panel game Never Mind the Buzzcocks, as a regular panellist on QI and for playing Manny Bianco in the sitcom Black Books.

The 2007 UK Eurovision entry was decided by a TV phone vote. The chosen band, Scooch, finished 23rd out of 24 entries.

source: The British Sitcom Guide