Why Harry Hill’s little green aliens are popping up all over London

Sitting in a posh office overlooking the Royal Academy, the comedian Harry Hill is deploying one of his lesser known modes: introspection. ‘I suppose I’m one of a growing number of celebrities who do art,’ he says, one hand fiddling with his trademark oversized shirt-cuff. His point – which he returns to several times – is one of definition: as much as he enjoys making art, and as much art as he makes, he can never quite see himself as an artist.

In his defence, he isn’t alone. After more than a decade as the face of one of the most-loved comedy shows this century, Hill can probably count himself among the ten most recognisable comics in Britain. Yet for all that comedy fame, he doesn’t tend to get much recognition for his other projects, which (so far) include two stage musicals, a string of novels and an ongoing love of painting and woodwork.

His foray into art began more than ten years ago, he says, largely as a way to unwind from the stress of making TV Burp. It turns out that spending ten hours a day trawling through soap operas isn’t quite the doddle you’d think – and chipping away at wood proved a healthier and more reliable release than those pursued by some of his comedy peers. All he had to worry about was those little scars and grazes which still occasionally adorn his hands.

While he insists he remains a mere hobbyist, Hill has had some success as an artist. Last year, a series of his wood sculptures called ‘The Assassinations’ – depicting famous killings throughout world history – featured in the Royal Academy’s summer show. It ended up being snapped up by a broadsheet art critic. His gently satirical paintings, meanwhile, have earned the respect of David Shrigley, his one-time artistic hero and now personal friend.

He has encountered one problem, though. ‘If I ever put on a proper exhibition, I rarely sell my stuff – so it ends up getting nicked,’ he says. Perhaps it’s a compliment, he wonders, or just a consequence of being a ‘celebrity who does art’ – everyone wants the novelty of owning part of Harry Hill. Either way, it probably makes him the most shoplifted artist in modern history (although when you look at how his work does at charity auctions, those cheeky thefts seem a little less harmless).

At least he won’t face that problem with his latest work – a set of large model aliens. As we meet, they are being nailed down in various locations across Piccadilly and Soho. It’s all part of an outdoor exhibition titled Brighter Future – coordinated in part by the National Gallery and intended to spruce up the West End after a rather bruising two years. As well as designing his aliens, Hill served on the judging panel for the project, sifting through the vaults of entries from promising young artists.

It’s an admirable gig, but won’t it be an uphill struggle – bringing creativity back to a district that lost its bohemian spirit years before the pandemic? ‘I do think the West End has become a bit soulless in terms of art and culture,’ he confesses – a suitably diplomatic answer. ‘You also see a lot of things closing down. It would be good to see some more of that empty space turned into galleries. I mean, what else are you going to do with it?’

His other aim was to make the art as accessible as possible. ‘I think a lot of public art can be a bit po-faced,’ he says – confessing an unabashed admiration for Trafalgar Square’s much-criticised Fourth Plinth. One of his favourite ideas suggested for Brighter Future was an interactive structure (‘almost like an adventure playground’) based on the artist’s experience of growing up around a theme park. ‘We actually had to tone that one down a bit though,’ he says. ‘You know, health and safety and all that…’

Another winning selection speaks to Hill’s admiration for the artistic process itself – something he compares with a form of mindfulness. The artist, Zarah Hussain, has decorated structures and walls around Piccadilly Circus with elaborate neon patterns based on traditional Islamic geometry. ‘You look at it and assume it might be created on a computer, but it actually has to be all hand-designed,’ he says. ‘There are all of these rules that I confess I never really knew anything about.’

The artworks are set to rotate between now and October, by which time Hill will be back to the day job, with his first full-length stand-up show since 2013. Will a return to stand-up mean putting art on pause? Quite the opposite. With all those nights on the road, he expects to have plenty of time for painting. In fact, with entries just about to open for next year’s summer show, you might even call it perfect timing – something every good comic knows when they see it.