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Billy Connolly to Receive BAFTA in Scotland Honour

29 October 2012
Billy Connolly

Billy Connolly is to receive BAFTA in Scotland's Outstanding Contribution to Television and Film Award at a special 'A Life In Pictures' event in Glasgow on 10 December 2012.

Glasgow, 28 October, 2012: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in Scotland has today announced that one of Scotland’s most successful talents of all time, Billy Connolly, will be honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to Television and Film Award at this year’s British Academy Scotland Awards on Sunday 18 November.

Owing to previous commitments, Connolly – affectionately known as ‘The Big Yin’ – is unable to receive the Award at the BAFTA ceremony in person, but will be presented with it a month later at a very special public event, BAFTA A Life in Pictures sponsored by Deutsche Bank, on Monday 10 December in Glasgow. A personal, pre-recorded message from Connolly will be broadcast at the Awards ceremony on 18 November in his absence.

‘BAFTA A Life in Pictures’ is a long-running series of on stage interviews in which some of the film world’s leading talent discuss their life and career and share insights into the experiences that helped them hone and develop their crafts. Ticket and venue information for the event will be announced soon.

Billy Connolly’s career as a successful comedian, musician, television presenter and actor spans more than six decades. He has appeared in over 30 films including Indecent Proposal, The Last Samurai, Gulliver’s Travels and Mrs Brown, for which he was nominated for a BAFTA in 1997. More recently, he voiced King Fergus in Pixar’s Brave, and appears in Quartet, Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut, scheduled for release in January 2013. He will also play Dáin Ironfoot, the dwarf warrior in Peter Jackson’s forthcoming and much anticipated three-part production of The Hobbit.

Says Jude MacLaverty, Director of BAFTA in Scotland: “We are thrilled that Billy will be the recipient of an Outstanding Contribution Award this year. He is a true master of his craft and continues to be a massive inspiration to a whole new generation of Scottish talent. We look forward to honouring him at the ceremony on 18 November and to hosting him at the BAFTA A Life in Pictures event on 10 December, where he will collect his Award.”

Past recipients of the Outstanding Contribution Award include Sir Sean Connery, Brian Cox and Robbie Coltrane; the ‘BAFTA A Life in Pictures’ series has hosted leading names including Dustin Hoffman, Robert Carlyle and Cate Blanchett.

On hearing news of the Award, Billy Connolly said: “I’m really pleased and proud to receive this trophy from BAFTA in Scotland, because I know you probably think we luvvies get shiny prizes all the time. But actually, sometimes we don’t. I’m really sorry I can’t be there because I’m in San Francisco doing some prior engagements, but in December I will be in Glasgow, where my heart is all the time, doing a BAFTA Life in Pictures event highlighting my film and television work from over the years, which might be quite groovy. I don’t know where it’s gonna be yet but just keep your eyes and ears open. Hope to see you there, we’ll have a good laugh.”

For information on the full nomination list for this year’s British Academy Scotland Awards, to buy tickets or for sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.bafta.org/scotland or call 0141 302 1770.

Ticket and venue details for ‘BAFTA A Life in Pictures sponsored by Deutsche Bank: Billy Connolly’ will be released soon. Visit www.bafta.org for more on the series. Deutsche Bank logo [Thin Crop]

!!Further Information

For further information on the British Academy Scotland Awards contact Lee Beattie at Wire Media on:
Tel: 0207 255 6143 / 07855 367 922
Email: [email protected]

For more information on the ‘BAFTA A Life in Pictures’ series contact Elizabeth Porter at Kindred Agency on:
Tel: 020 7010 0851
Email: [email protected]


About BAFTA

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is an independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners and benefiting the public. In addition to its Awards ceremonies, BAFTA has a year-round Learning & Events programme that offers unique access to some of the world’s most inspiring talent through workshops, masterclasses, lectures and mentoring schemes, connecting with audiences of all ages and backgrounds across the UK, Los Angeles and New York. BAFTA relies on income from membership subscriptions, individual donations, trusts, foundations and corporate partnerships to support its ongoing outreach work. For further information, visit www.bafta.org.

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