The bad boy of British stand-up: Billy Connolly
Credit: Clara Molden for The Telegraph
The great and good of popular entertainment have been lining up to play tribute to Billy Connolly in an ITV special widely perceived as marking a final curtain in the comedian’s career. Paul McCartney, Elton John, Whoopi Goldberg and Sheridan Smith were among those to pay homage to Connolly during It’s Been A Pleasure.
Connolly, 78, appeared on screen, too, to announce that, after five decades at the peak of comedy, the time had come for his farewell bows. “I have done my stand-up, I did it for 50 years, I did it quite well and it is time to stop,” he said.