Straggly-haired stand-up Bill Bailey. Photograph: Eamonn McCabe
Good news for the UK's ailing Eurovision Song Contest reputation. Comedian Bill Bailey is the latest celebrity, following the likes of Jordan and Justin Hawkins, to throw his hat into the kitsch-shaped ring. The straggly-haired stand-up is reportedly writing not one but a number of Eurovision songs so that his fans can vote via his website for the one they want him to enter.
This might just be the last roll of the dice when it comes to the UK making any headway in the competition. Recent showings have been disastrous due to a combination of flat singing, frankly rubbish entries, an east Europe voting cartel and being the billy-no-mates of the continent thanks to Iraq. And after all, the competition has long been viewed as a joke - why not take that to its logical conclusion and send a comedian to represent us?
Last year there was a glimmer of hope when there was talk of Morrissey entering the fray (This Charming Boom Bang-A-Bang Man anyone?) but that came to nothing. Now Bailey is riding to the rescue. And the West Country wag clearly has a great way with a catchy melody. In his live shows he has re-arranged the EastEnders theme as a Bollywood hit, invented a house version of the BBC News theme and essayed Disney's Zip-a-dee-doo-dah as if played by a depressed Portishead. He has also put a whole new spin on The Killers' "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier" lyric by singing "I've got ham but I'm not a hamster".
And best of all, Bailey wouldn't require much make-up to resemble the lead singer of 2006's Finnish Eurovision winners Lordi.
