After a hugely successful 2021 tour, UK comedy sensation Bill Bailey will return to New Zealand with his brand new show Thoughtifier, heading to 14 centres, including Tauranga, this November and December.

Bill Bailey is a legendary comedian, musician and actor best known for his film and television work such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks, QI, In the Long Run created by Idris Elba and the award winning Black Books. Bill was also host of the first season of NZ hit comedy panel show Patriot Brains.

As well as a successful comedy career that has seen him tour across Australia, Europe, Asia and New Zealand, Bill has recently lent his voice to the animated film adaption of children's book Dragonkeeper set to be released later this year, released his book Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to Happiness in 2021 and was winner of BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in 2020.

Bill first visited as part of the New Zealand International Comedy Festival in the mid-1990s and quickly found himself falling in love with Aotearoa.

An avid birdwatcher and lover of nature, it is no surprise that the country's flora and fauna turned out to be a winning combination for Bill.

'I came with my girlfriend at the time and we hired a car and just drove around. Firstly there was just hardly anyone here. We kept thinking there was some sort of civil emergency. There's just not that many people,' he told SunLive back in 2021.

'It's a wonderful place. The kauri trees are just extraordinary, while the tui, bellbirds and saddlebacks are all wonderful birds that we just don't see in Western Europe.”

Bill has since been a regular visitor to New Zealand and tries to make his way over every two or three years. The fact the comedic palette of Kiwis and Brits overlaps certainly helps matters.

'It was a great experience, so I came back every year after that to perform here as part of the Comedy Festival. Over the years I have come back regularly.

'The sense of humour is quite similar to the UK's take on life. We like the absurdity, the surreal nature of life and have a healthy disregard for pomposity or authority.”