Arachnaphobics - look away now! They say creepy crawlies shy away from the limelight, but one spider from Willesden has become a web sensation after comedian Bill Bailey snapped it making a cameo in his friend’s garden this weekend.

Brent & Kilburn Times: There has been a rise in the number of spiders cropping up in UK homes as mating season beginsThere has been a rise in the number of spiders cropping up in UK homes as mating season begins (Image: Archant)

TV funnyman Bill Bailey caused an internet stir after posting images of the gigantic arachnid with the caption ‘Spotted this fine specimen in a friend’s garden’ to nearly 2 million of his followers on social media site Twitter, leading to hundreds of ‘retweets’.

A later photo, in which the eight-legged critter is accompanied by a beetle on a concrete wall features the commentary: ‘Here he/she is again but this time being photobombed by a beetle and it was not in Oz but in Willesden’ in which the comedian jokes that the spider invasion is no longer restricted to Australian climes.

Mr Bailey’s web sensation comes after a spike in the number of spiders appearing in homes around the UK as the mating season gets into full swing.

Spider experts have warned homeowners to be on the look out for archanids behind cupboards and in warm, damp environments as female spiders scout out the best spot for laying their eggs.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Bill Bailey's 'Limboland' tour kicks off on October 4Bill Bailey's 'Limboland' tour kicks off on October 4 (Image: Archant)

Mr Bailey is currently gearing up for the start of his ‘Limboland’ UK tour, which has received rave reviews in Australia and New Zealand.

For London tour dates throughout December visit billbailey.co.uk/tour/.