Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award shortlist 2025
The nominees for the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award 2025 have been revealed by the Glasgow International Comedy Festival. They are:
This year, seven acts were selected for the shortlist, as opposed to the usual six, due to "the standard of applications".
Craig Hill says: "I'm absolutely thrilled to be shortlisted for this award! How could you not be? An award in the name of the great Billy Connolly in the spirit of the city he came from, is an absolute honour. So chuffed! Thank you very much Glasgow."
Kim Blythe comments: "I am floored and buzzing to be shortlisted for the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award! To be mentioned anywhere near the Big Yin or any of the previous winners and nominees is a bit mental to me but I'm over the moon!"
Marjolein Robertson notes: "I'm overwhelmed to be nominated for this award. Billy Connolly to me is the father of storytelling comedy. He broke the mould bringing his folk background and telling stories, creating images on stage. He's my greatest inspiration so to be included in this makes me feel like leaving Shetland to pursue comedy and bring my home's folktales to the stage was the right choice."
Paul Black says: "It's a real honour to be nominated for the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award and to be recognised in his name in the best city in the world. I will be citing this nomination on every gig poster for the rest of my life!"
Rosco McClelland comments: "To be nominated two years in a row for this award is incredible. Billy Connolly is an idol to this city, and to be mentioned in the same breath is a huge honour. Also, I will enter this every single year until I win!"
Scott Agnew jokes: "What a lovely bit of news, proper tickety boo as a certain someone might say. I'm really honoured and chuffed to be nominated. He's been my idol and hero since I was in primary school - he got me into trouble at primary school - and to think now he's got his beady eyes on me, scrutinising my work, makes me nervous. I'll end up in the Brownies!"
Viv Gee says: "I feel so honoured to be shortlisted for this award. Billy Connolly represents everything I love about comedy and about Glasgow. As an East coaster who's made Glasgow her home this is pure dead brilliant."
The 2025 shortlist was chosen by a panel of judges from across Scotland's cultural spheres, including Alan Cumming, Sanjeev Kohli and, last year's winner, Susie McCabe.
Glasgow International Comedy Festival runs until Sunday 30th March, culminating in the GICF Comedy Gala which will see the very best of the festival perform at the King's Theatre, before the winner of the award is crowned.
Festival director Krista MacDonald says: "A massive congratulations from the team at GICF to this year's Sir Billy Connolly Award shortlist - it's an outstanding achievement to make it onto the seven-strong list amidst some fierce competition. It's an honour for the festival to have Sir Billy Connolly involved in this way and the award recognises the very specific Glaswegian humour, warmth and resilience that the Big Yin is so beloved for.
"It's exciting to see this year's event get underway in so many fantastic venues already - from iconic comedy clubs like The Stand and Blackfriars to some of the more unique venues we have this year including the famous Barrowland Ballroom. Over the next few weeks, Glasgow will have its world renowned humour on full display as we welcome comics from near and far to entertain the city and showcase exactly why it's the funniest city in the world."
Festival tickets are on sale via glasgowcomedyfestival.com