Bill Bailey is among celebrities about to receive honours from Princess Anne today (May 5) after being made an MBE in the New Years Honours list for his services to entertainment. The comedian and musician, who won Strictly Come Dancing in 2020, will join Richard Osman and celebrity chef Marcus Wareing at Windsor Castle for the regal ceremony.

Despite his fame from series like Black Books and films like Hot Fuzz, plenty of fans don't actually know that Bill isn't his real name. Instead, the nickname came from one of Bill's geography teachers at school, who refused to call him by his given name and named him Bill because of classic song Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey.

He explained on Desert Island Discs: "I ended up as Bill because I had a geography teacher at school who decided this was my nickname.

"It was because of the song, the classic Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey. I just got stuck with the name Bill Bailey."

Bill's actual name is Mark Robert Bailey.

Also recognised in the New Years Honours list in December 2025 were comedy writer Roy Clarke, who was knighted; Little Britain star Matt Lucas, who was awarded an OBE; and Chuckle Brothers star Paul Chuckle, who received an MBE.

Today's investiture will see Bill, Richard and Marcus joined by Olympic climbing champion Tony Roberts to receive their honours from the Princess Royal.