The last time Bill Bailey visited Cumbria it was nothing less than a disaster.

A family holiday to Buttermere in April turned into a rescue mission when pet dog Tiger went missing on a hike up Haystacks.

Comedy star Bill called out Cockermouth Mountain Rescue to stage a Tiger hunt and they managed to reunite the dog and family.

Bill returns to Cumbria next week when he brings his Limboland tour to The Sands Centre, Carlisle.

He will be coming up with his family to visit friends in the Buttermere area – but he will not be bringing Tiger.

The star of Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Have I Got News For You and Black Books says: “Tiger will be confined to barracks, he does not seem to get on in the Lakes.

“I don’t know whether his back legs are longer than the front or whether he got spooked. The trouble with rescue dogs is you never know what issues they have got unless something happens that triggers it. Perhaps he had an incident involving heights when he was younger.”

And here’s a trades descriptions warning: There will be no limbo in Limboland.

No, Bill Bailey will not be trying to walk under a horizontal stick by leaning backwards. But a trampette (as opposed to trumpet) might well be included in his show at The Sands.

Bill has played there before. He knows it doubles as a sports hall and he doesn’t mind: “You can’t beat a good leisure centre – provided you don’t double-book and get the trampette out. There are no trampettes in Limboland and, no, I will not be limbo-ing.

“The title comes out of this idea of how you imagine things, the actual reality of them and how it never measures up.”

The show also includes music, including Bailey’s version of the protest song, a country and western ballad played on a Bible, and his own take on Happy Birthday .

And he’s such a reasonable chap, that he might actually be persuaded by the crowd to perform a limbo or two on the night. He almost talked himself into it, saying: “There is no way I am limbo-ing. I have limbo’d in the past... I’m not going to rule it out if the occasion arises...”

His show at The Sands Centre follows a couple of days’ break in his massive UK tour. 

Bill will be using the time to visit relatives of his wife Kristin and to make the most of the countryside.

“I’m coming up early to do some walks and take my paddle board out on a lake, preferably one that isn’t windy and is one of the less busy ones.

“I would love to take the board out on Buttermere, it is so pretty. It is actually quite a good way to prepare for a gig – to get out there and clear your head.

“I did a Christmas paddle on the Thames with some friends dressed in a Santa suits. That was good.”

Bill has said that he will stage a fundraising show for the mountain rescue team. No date has yet been set. 

Mike Park, leader of Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team, is hoping something can be arranged for next year.

He said: “We have not had any contact from him yet. We are hoping he will be able to arrange something at the end of his tour.”

  • Tickets for Thursday’s show are priced at £25 (plus booking fee) available from The Sands Centre box office on 01228 633766 or online at www.thesandscentre.co.uk .