WHEN Bill Bailey burst on to the comedy circuit, it wasn’t necessarily his jokes which caught people’s attention. It was his unique look of goatee beard and long locks which start half way down his head.

Fast forward 20 years and Bailey, still looking the same just with a bit greyer, is one of the world’s most successful comics.

With his latest show Larks in Transit already receiving critical acclaim, the Somerset comic will now bring the show to Basingstoke for two nights.

Tackling politics, philosophy and the pursuit of happiness, this new adventure is trademark Bailey but with a fresh approach.

“There is maybe more music in this show than in previous,” the comic tell The Gazette.

“But it is a bit more personable than usual. Where comedy has taken me around the world for the last 20 years, this show is evidence of where comedy has allowed me to go.

“I have usually always kept my private life out of shows, I generally don’t like to talk about my family, but I told a story about a family holiday that went wrong on the last tour which went down really well, so this is just another part of me which I haven’t really tapped into until now.”

Bailey’s early stand-up career started back in 1984, but it was not until he appeared on shows like cult comedy Black Books and Never Mind the Buzzcocks that he popularity began to grow.

Since appearing on these shows Bailey has been afforded the privilege of taking his stand-up shows around the world, something he believes is partly down to the power of the internet which has expanded his reach.

He added: “Comedy has taken off hugely in the last few years and it is really big business nowadays, there is also a huge variety now which we never really saw before.

“A lot of that is down to the internet which has driven comedy to make it a lot more visible to people, in particular YouTube has had a huge part to play.

“One instance for me personally I went to Estonia and when I got to passport control I was met with this stern looking man, but when I approached him he started to mime Black Books to me.”

It is the evolution of technology which was the inspiration behind one of Bailey’s latest jokes which has got all of his audiences talking about it after the show by fashioning a symphony from a ringtone.

Talking about the skit, Bailey told The Gazette: “It is a reaction that we are completely tied to our phones and technology and they are such a part of our lives now.

“My phone I don’t just use it for text or calls, but it is now my alarm clock and that sound has become ingrained in my brain, so I wanted to do something based on the fact we have become so reliant on this piece of technology in our pockets.”

With Larks in Transit being the former Buzzcocks team captain’s eighth tour production and being on the road for more than two decades, the Gazette asks what is it that keep him going.

“If you love what you do it is very difficult to stop it and you constantly have ideas and feel that there is this want to perform.

“Doing stand-up exercises all the elements of being a performer that I absolutely love.”

Bill Bailey will be at The Anvil on March 7 and 8, for more details visit anvilarts.org.uk.