Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award 2023 nominees announced
The Glasgow International Comedy Festival has announced the shortlisted nominees for the inaugural Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award which will be presented at the Festival's Closing Gala held at the King's Theatre on Sunday 2nd April.
The independent panel met on Wednesday 29th March to consider the nominations and "are proud to announce the shortlisted nominees who they believe most personifies the Spirit of Glasgow."
Out of 37 nominations, the judges have shortlisted 6 nominees and made a recommendation to Sir Billy Connolly, who will ultimately decide the winner of the award in his name.
The shortlisted nominees are:
Connolly says: "Glasgow defies description. Many great men and women have tried to describe its spirit and failed miserably. What do you say about a town that dances, sings, plays and jokes differently from everybody else? The winner of this Award will have to be a nutter like me..."
The panel comprised of The Lord Provost, Jacqueline McLaren; Herald editor Catherine Salmond; Broadcaster Janice Forsyth; STV's Laura Boyd; Radio presenter and podcaster Aarti Joshi; Lost Glasgow's Norry Wilson; Channel 4's Laura Marks; and comedian/actors Sanjeev Kohli, Greg Hemphill, Elaine C Smith, and Karen Dunbar.
In addition to the six shortlisted nominees, the judges also wanted to give special commendation to comedians Laura Quinn Goh, Krystal Evans and Chris Forbes, with - in the latter case - particular reference to "his fantastic work alongside Judy Murray".
Festival director Krista MacDonald commented on the nominees: "It is so exciting to be able to announce the nominees for the inaugural Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award. We are so proud that we have the opportunity to celebrate the spirit of our city shown in the Glasgow International Comedy Festival and in the name of the Big Yin. The judges have been wonderful and we are so grateful for their time and help in shortlisting the nominees - the strength of whom really prove that no one does comedy like Glasgow."