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Daily Record
Daily Record
Entertainment
Bev Lyons

Sir Billy Connolly announced for award this year's Edinburgh Television Festival

Sir Billy Connolly has been announced as a major figure at this year's Edinburgh Television Festival.

The telly fest, which normally takes places as Edinburgh's International Conference Centre, will be taking place digitally this year due to Covid restrictions.

However it plans to return to its home in Scotland in 2022.

Organisers have confirmed that Sir Billy will be presented with the Edinburgh Television Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his immeasurable contribution to the industry.

Glasgow born Billy, who now lives in the States, will talk about his incredible life as actor, musician, artist and author during a special broadcast for this year's event.

He will be interviewed by his own wife, writer and performer Dr Pamela Stephenson Connolly and celebrate his extensive body of work and successes within the industry.

'The Big Yin' isn't short of awards, having topped both of Channel 4’s ‘100 Greatest Stand-Up’ polls and Channel 5’s ‘Greatest Stand-Up Comedians’ list.

He's also received BAFTA and BAFTA Scotland awards for Outstanding Achievement and was given the Freedom of the City of Glasgow before his Knighthood for Services to Entertainment and Charity.

At this year's telly fest American songwriter, actor, director and producer, Lin-Manuel Miranda will also talk about Hamilton, In the Heights and Vivo as well as forthcoming tick, tick…Boom! and Disney’s Encanto .

Dominic Cummings will also be in conversation with Boris Johnson in a special session: Why is Telly so Sh*t? but it appears they will take the form of their Spitting Image characters.

Digital passes to the festival are available here.

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