Wednesday 30 June 2021
UKTV today announces that Billy Connolly will front a brand-new series for the nation's favourite comedy channel Gold. Billy Connolly Does... (5x60') will see the legendary comic take a reflective look back at 50 years of stand up, and will provide an unrivalled glimpse into his life. The UKTV Original is produced by Moonshine Features, part of The Whisper Group and will air on Gold next year.
Billy Connolly said:
I'm really looking forward to sharing a few of my favourite moments from over the years ... it's been brilliant, and I hope you'll come along for the ride!
With exclusive access to one of Britain's greatest and most influential comedians, Billy Connolly Does... will see Billy take a trip down memory lane as he gets to riff on his old sets from the past 50 years. He'll also reflect back on how his views have (and haven't) changed on a variety of topics, since he put the banjo down and started telling his shaggy dog stories.
Each episode will cover a particular topic, whether that's work, sex, travel, childhood and parenthood or love and marriage and will showcase classic and hidden treasures of Billy's stand up routines. The series, which is shot in and around his Florida home, will provide an intimate guide to Billy's relationship with his material, as well as offering insights into his life.
Billy Connolly Does... is commissioned for UKTV by Iain Coyle, head of comedy entertainment, and ordered by Gerald Casey, channel director for Gold. Richard Watsham is director of commissioning, and Steve North is genre general manager for comedy and entertainment. Executive producers for Moonshine Features are Michelle Crowther and Mike Reilly, who is also the series director.
Iain Coyle said:
So, this is a career highlight, working with one of, if not THE, greatest comedians of all time. I feel incredibly privileged that Billy and his family have given us access, not only to his incredible archive, but also to their everyday lives.
Gerald Casey added:
We're thrilled to welcome the legendary Billy Connolly to Gold. Moonshine Features have secured incredible access for this series and we can't wait to hear all of the hilarious and, at times, ridiculous life lessons from one of the all-time greats.
Moonshine series director, Mike Reilly, said:
I've been lucky enough to have worked with Billy for some time now and the one thing that never ceases to amaze me is how easy he makes it for everyone to be in his company, how the laughter, the pearls of wisdom and the shaggy dog tales never seem to stop. To have the opportunity to show all of that while trawling through a treasure trove of amazing comedy is just a dream come true.
Billy Connolly Does... joins an array of other high-profile commissions for Gold in 2021, including the one-off special French and Saunders: Funny Women and the return of seaside comedy Sandylands, starring Sanjeev Bhaskar, David Walliams and Tracy Ann Oberman.
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For more information, please contact:
Kelly Phelps, Senior Publicist, UKTV
About Gold
Sky 110, Virgin 124, BT and TalkTalk 310 On demand on Sky, Virgin and Now TV
Dedicated to celebrating the best of British comedy, Gold is the nation's favourite comedy channel. Much-loved comedy series such as Only Fools and Horses, The Vicar of Dibley and The Royle Family sit alongside an array of successful UKTV Originals including David Jason: My Life on Screen, The Rebel, The Story of Only Fools and Horses, and Murder on the Blackpool Express, which stars a stunning cast including Johnny Vegas and Sian Gibson. The feature length UKTV Original attracted 1.72 million viewers in its first week in 2017, making it Gold's highest ever rating show. The perfect tonic to make you laugh whatever the time of day, Gold shows universally funny content that everyone can enjoy.
gold.uktv.co.uk | @goldchannel
About UKTV
UKTV is a commercial broadcaster reaching almost 40m viewers every month.
The award-winning independent has eleven imaginative brands - UKTV Play, Dave, W, Gold, Alibi, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home, Eden and Good Food. These include the two most popular non-PSB channels in the UK and account for nearly 10% of the British commercial TV market. The network delivers inspired channels to audiences through Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat, Amazon Fire and UKTV Play, and distributes its highly valued original programmes to 200 territories. Now celebrating over 20 years at the forefront of digital television, UKTV - an independent commercial joint venture between BBC Studios and Discovery, Inc. - is proud to be the first British television broadcaster in The Sunday Times top 100 companies list.