Bill Bailey's Australian Adventure sees the comedian and Strictly Come Dancing winner explore the region of Western Australia for a four-part travel series — and he’s blown away by the sheer size of the place!
"If you think you know Australia then think again because there’s an even wilder weirder and more wonderful version and it’s in the west," says Bill, 58. "There’s so much space here. That means Western Australians have access to nature like nowhere else on earth!"
So here's everything you need to know about the Channel 4 series Bill Bailey's Australian Adventure...
Bill Bailey's Australian Adventure release date
Bill Bailey's Australian Adventure is a four-part series that starts on Channel 4 on Sunday, November 12 at 9 pm, with episodes running weekly at the same time through November 2023 and early December.
When there's an international air date for the series we'll advise here.
Is there a trailer for Bill Bailey's Australian Adventure?
Channel 4 hasn't released a trailer yet for Bill Bailey's Australian Adventure, but we'll post it here if one arrives, so do check back.
Exclusive interview: Bill Bailey on his new Australian Adventure series
So, what inspired this tour of Western Australia, Bill?
Bill Bailey says: "I’ve been to Australia many times over the years, but I don’t know the West that well. Plus, I wanted to swim with a whale shark, but I’ve always been there at the wrong time of year [the whale shark season generally runs from mid-March to August]. Doing this series meant I could finally do what I’ve been dreaming about for years."
And did swimming with a whale shark off the Ningaloo Coast live up to your expectations?
Bill says: "It was amazing, even more extraordinary than I imagined. The one I saw was just an adolescent, but it was still more than 20ft long and had a huge broad head. I was totally transfixed by this creature."
Any other sea life encounters during this experience?
Bill explains: "You have to accept there are sharks everywhere and, as we got out of the water, a giant hammerhead shark swam past the boat. It was as big as the whale shark we’d just seen; it was a monster! When you ask the Aussie crew if a shark is alright around humans and they reply, ‘Erm, yeah…’, then you know they’re dangerous!"
What other moments from your adventure particularly stand out?
Bill says: "Meeting some of the country’s indigenous people was a revelation. Learning about their experiences, their knowledge of the land, their love for the country and their wonderful sense of humour was one of my favourite things. I had such a range of fascinating experiences, from seeing how a pearl farm works to playing the keytar solo with Perth heavy-metal band Voyager [who finished ninth place in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with the song Promise]. I look back now and think, ‘Wow, I did all that!'"
You say you like the eccentricity of Western Australia – what was the strangest place or thing you came across?
Bill reveals: "Gnomesville [in The Ferguson Valley] – what a totally bizarre place! It started out when someone jokingly put a broken gnome in their front garden with a sign on it saying, ‘Please fix me’. Someone anonymously fixed the gnome, word got out, and loads of people brought their gnomes to be fixed. Then more people brought their gnomes to keep the other gnomes company! Now, there are literally thousands of garden gnomes spread out in this forest and it’s on the map as ‘Gnomesville’. It’s a real tourist attraction."
Is it true you were stalked by an emu at one point?!
Bill says: "Yes, I thought I was following it and then realised it was following me! They’re big animals with a fearsome beak and a mischievous look, and this one emu thought I had some food and kept following me. Just before it happened, someone posted an Instagram video of a bloke being chased by an emu that was really going for him, so I had that in my mind. It was a bit unnerving!"
Oh dear! Were you recognised much in Oz during filming?
Bill says: "Yes, quite a bit. The most extraordinary time was when we were in a remote Aboriginal community in the furthest northern part of Western Australia. We had a wonderful First Nations guide and were having a chat when she said, ‘I know you from somewhere, have you been in any films?’ I mentioned [2010 fantasy comedy] Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, and she said, ‘That’s my favourite film! We watch it all the time. You’re Farmer MacReadie, aren’t you?’ That was unexpected!"
Bill Bailey's Australian Adventure episode guide
Here's our guide to all four episodes of Bill Bailey's Australian Adventure, which we'll be updating weekly...
Episode 1: Sunday, November 12
Bill is on Western Australia’s south coast, and his first stop is Lucky Bay, voted the world’s best beach. It’s even scientifically proven to have the whitest sand! He also gets a sense of the state’s scale and biodiversity at the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk, before visiting the old whaling town of Albany and the busy port of Esperance, where he takes control of a brand new £10 million tug! Meanwhile, Bill also takes to the stage with The Albany Shantymen and tries paddleboarding on a deserted beach with ex-Australian NBA star Luc Longley, who played for the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. And by the end of the first episode, Bill is thinking of upping sticks!
"I’m struck by the free-spirited nature of Western Australians," Bill says. "I might move here and become a local eccentric. I might play the piano in a local bar or join a Police tribute act,’ he laughs. ‘I’d be quite happy with that!"
Episode 2: Sunday November 19
Bill's in awe when he swims with a 20ft whale shark off the Ningaloo coast. 'Swimming with a whale shark has been on my list of things to do for many years and I thought I might finally get to do this thing I’ve been dreaming about for years,’ he admits. "It was amazing. They’re so dynamic in the water" What the gentle giant of the ocean made of Bill’s whale shark-patterned swimming attire remains a mystery, but it was Bill who had the biggest shock while achieving his life’s dream. "As we got out of the water a giant oceanic hammerhead shark swam past,’ he says. It was as big as the whale shark, it was a monster!" As Bill travels around Western Australia’s Ningaloo coastline, he explores the vast outback. He comes across the famous limestone formations called The Pinnacles and encounters pink lakes and wild emus. "One emu kept following me," recalls Bill. "Just before that somebody posted a video on Instagram of a bloke being chased by an emu and the thing was really going for him, so I had that in my mind. It was a bit unnerving."
Episode 3: Sunday November 26
When comedian Bill Bailey set out to explore Western Australia he was fully prepared for it to be ‘wilder, weirder and even more wonderful’, than the rest of the country. But in this third episode of his travelogue, we see that even he wasn’t prepared for Gnomesville, a place jam-packed full of garden gnomes!
"Gnomesville, what a totally bizarre place,’ he says. "This started out when someone jokingly put a broken gnome in their front garden with a sign on it saying ‘please fix me’. Someone anonymously fixed the gnome then word got out and loads of people brought their gnomes to be fixed. Then more people brought their gnomes to keep the other gnomes company. Now there are literally thousands of garden gnomes. It’s a tourist attraction. We met a school trip. One of the kids was really disappointed. He said “I thought it would be an actual town full of gnomes”. It was hilarious!"
Bill also explores Western Australia’s state capital Perth, goes truffle hunting with a Labrador called Max and enjoys a jamming session with the band Voyager, who were a hit in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
"I had a blast with Voyager," says Bill. "I loved playing the keytar solo with the band. It was one of the highlights of the trip."
Episode 4: Sunday December 3
As Bill Bailey’s journey around Western Australia comes to a close, the comic heads north to explore the industrial hub of Port Hedland and the tropical paradise of Broome. "It’s a land festooned with natural treasures, whether its precious metals, the wonders of bygone eras, fine jewels or exquisite wildlife," he says. "It’s intoxicatingly beautiful. It’s also incredibly old, and Bill finds himself walking in the footsteps of 135 million-year-old dinosaurs, following their footprints along the coastline of Gantheaume Point."
He also spends a night under the stars with Australian astronomer Greg Quicke, known as Space Gandalf, and hunts for pearls in a working pearl farm where some of the jewellery sells for a staggering £45,000.
"It’s not really my sort of thing" he says. "But fishing for sunken treasure in a tropical paradise. Not a bad day in the office."
As Bill’s 5,000-kilometre journey finally ends, after driving the equivalent of London to Baghdad, he reflects on all the incredible experiences he’s had.
"I’m a wreck," he admits. "But I’ve got some amazing memories to take away. Sights, sounds, smells and tastes that will be etched on my memory forever. It’s been an epic road trip. What an extraordinary place."
