Bailey 'offended' by Asda approach

Bill Bailey has revealed that he was offended after supermarket giant Asda approached him to appear in a series of adverts.

The comedian, who left panel show Never Mind The Buzzcocks earlier this year, claimed that he took the offer as a suggestion that his relationship with fans could be bought and sold.

"I know people aren't really bothered by that sort of thing. They just think: 'Oh he's that bloke, he was quite funny in that ad.' But I don't think that," he told The Times.

"I see the ad and I think: 'What the hell are you doing? Have you not got enough money? Why are you taking the Wal-Mart [Asda's parent company] dollar? Have you seen Wal-Mart - The High Cost of Low Price, the documentary about Wal-Mart? Watch that and then tell me you want to do the ad.'"

Bailey added that he thinks it is important that comedians pick the right "targets" in their routines, rather than simply "mock the weak".

"I've realised that, consciously or unconsciously, I tend to target multinational companies! The world's richest banks, the world's richest retailers, people who aren't vulnerable. Because I think, of anyone, you can take this, me, some beardy bloke, shaking a fist at you," he said.