Bill Bailey ‘proud to be British’ after Last Night Of The Proms performance

Comedian Bill Bailey said he is “so proud to be British” following an appearance at the Last Night Of The Proms.

The 60-year-old performed Leroy Anderson’s The Typewriter at the event on Saturday, where he played the historic piece of office equipment as though it were a musical instrument.

He told the PA news agency: “It was very nerve-racking. It’s a hugely prestigious gig and institution.

“Just before I went on, I got a message, a lovely message from my dad who’s in the audience and he said, ‘Mum would have been so proud.’ That’s the message. So I was thinking about that on stage.”

The event at the Royal Albert Hall followed a day of protesting in London, which saw at least 25 people arrested at Tommy Robinson’s “Unite the Kingdom” demonstration, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Asked about the celebratory event amid a day of civil unrest, Bailey told PA: “Something like this can really bring people together in a positive way.

“I think times like this… it shows that power of community, the power to bring people together, but it has a kind of a really communal power, it strengthens bonds between people in a way that is intangible, something which goes back to the very first music on Earth.

“As soon as we figured out how to knock a rock together, or hum, or create music, or imitate sounds of nature, we were creating sounds that bound us together as a people, and that’s still true today, even more so.”

He added: “I’m very patriotic. I mean, I’m very proud to be British and I think there’s so many qualities of Britishness that actually are demonstrated here tonight.

“There’s, firstly, a tremendous sense of belonging, being part of a bigger thing, coming together, feeling a sense of pride in our country, but also, it’s about community.

“It’s about a sense of belonging and good humour, that’s one of the great things about Britishness. I mean, that’s one of the great things about Britishness, I would say that’s one of our great qualities”.

Asked if the Proms have made him feel proud to be British, he added: “Of course, it’s hugely powerful. You see people waving flags and having fun, coming together to celebrate something like this, which really stirs the soul.”

Also at the event, soprano Louise Alder performed the patriotic song Rule, Britannia!, which almost had its singing portion scrapped by the BBC in 2020 following controversy over its perceived historical links with colonialism and slavery.

Reflecting on this, Bailey said: “A lot of these songs come with history don’t they, a bit of baggage, but I guess most people are able to see them in context i.e when they were written.

“Yes, of course, you can look at it now and say these songs are problematic, but they’re still stirring songs, they’re still stirring tunes, and I think people are able to separate the context of the time that they were written and the stirring nature of the tune that we hear today.”

Elsewhere, Queen’s Sir Brian May and Roger Taylor joined the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Alder for a rearrangement of their hit track Bohemian Rhapsody, which turned 50 this year.

West End star Sam Oladeinde performed vocals for the six-minute song, which was originally written and sung by the late Queen singer Freddie Mercury.

He told PA: “I was terrified, but it was exhilarating and I think actually knowing that there were so many people on stage that had their heart in the evening, and in that particular number, felt really like my rock.

“Being able to turn around and Brian May being there was just otherworldly.”

Sir Brian told the BBC backstage: “It was very emotional, too emotional… I missed a couple of things, which I would have loved to get better, but the overall feeling was great.”

Elim Chan conducted the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and there were solo performances from Alder and trumpeter Alison Balsom, who is retiring from performing at the age of 46.

The musician, who is married to Skyfall director Sir Sam Mendes, confirmed this would be her “last night on stage” in conversation with journalist John Wilson for BBC Radio 4’s This Cultural Life in August.