Strictly Bill
I am going for the glitterball
STRICTLY favourite Bill Bailey is fully focused on winning the final with partner Oti Mabuse on Saturday – because, thanks to Covid, it will be his last performance of the year.
The comedian was due to star in one-man show Christmas Larks from December 28, at the Lyceum Theatre in London.
But with the capital being moved into Tier 3 today, the venue looks set to be closed until 2021. So he may have to scrap his entire two-week run. Bill, told the Mirror: “Going forward, we’ll see what the restrictions allow and whether people feel comfortable doing it.
“I think people are still very wary about it because we see what happens when restrictions are relaxed. “I think the vaccine will... give people reassurance they can go out and enjoy all the things that they have done before.”
Bill, 55, of Hammersmith, West
London, hopes to tour with his En Route to Normal show from next December. Until then he plans to make the most of any free time he has by getting back to nature.
He said: “I’m just looking forward to being outdoors.
“Like going for a walk by the river, listening to birdsong.
“Just being out during the day, cycling along the river would be great.... a paddle in the Thames.”
The Black Books star said he suffered “existential dread” when the pandemic first hit the news.
He said: “There’s this virus, this thing, this killer is out there and there’s nothing we can do about it. I didn’t... quite know what to do.”
But Strictly put him back on his feet. Bill is the 4-6 favourite to win the BBC One dance contest, ahead of EastEnder Maisie Smith, 19, singer and presenter Hrvy, 21, and Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing, 32.
On Saturday Bill and Oti, 30, will perform three dances – a quickstep, which is the judges’ choice, a showdance and their favourite routine to Rapper’s Delight.
And he has dared to dream about lifting the glitterball trophy.
He said: “I’ve allowed myself to think, ‘ Well, we’ve come this far...’”