The shortlist for the 2024 edition of the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit Of Glasgow Award has been announced, as the Glasgow International Comedy Festival (GICF) continues its biggest outing yet. 

Included in the shortlist are Craig Hill, Raymond Mearns, Rosco McClelland, Susan Riddell, Susie McCabe and Zara Gladman. 

Mearns said, ‘Surprised and delighted to be nominated for this award. To make my living as a stand-up is already a dream come true and coming from Glasgow with Billy Connolly as my inspiration, I was able to stand on the shoulders of a giant.’

Hill said, ‘I’m absolutely thrilled to be nominated for this award, not only because it’s about the Spirit of Glasgow, which definitely feeds into the way I look at life and the things I laugh at, but it’s in the name of Glasgow’s comedy hero Billy Connolly. It’s an honour to be nominated for an award in his name. When it comes to awards, this is the Big Yin!’

McCabe said, ‘To be nominated for the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award is a massive honour – not only an award with the Godfather of modern stand-up comedy associated with it, but a man who defined this city. And what a wonderful city it is! If you're from this city you have been blessed (maybe not so much with the weather though...).’

McClelland said, ‘The spirit of Billy visited me in a dream to tell me that I’d been shortlisted for this award. Then he started licking my face which was strange but oddly comforting. Then I woke up and it was just my dog who needed out. I’m very proud to be shortlisted for this!’

Susan Riddell said, ‘I’m absolutely buzzing to be shortlisted for this award! I’m biased but Glasgow is one of the funniest cities in the world and to be in the running for an award endorsed by the Big Yin is the biggest honour!’

Gladman said, ‘I am in complete shock. For Sir Billy Connolly to even read my name on a piece of paper is a huge honour. My Glasgow West End mum will be boasting about this for years to come.’

Chair of Glasgow Life, Bailie Annette Christie, said, ‘The exciting shortlist of finalists for this prestigious award emphasises the wealth of outstanding home-grown talent appearing at this year’s Glasgow International Comedy Festival – which has a dynamic, packed programme and a fantastic line-up of acts.

‘Honouring the city’s beloved comedy maestro, The Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award not only recognises the best in the business, it also reflects Glasgow’s great appreciation of comedy genius and the importance of humour in our lives. Our city and its people are renowned for their love of quick wit and banter, so Glasgow has a well-deserved reputation as a headline name on the worldwide comedy stage and a fabulous destination for fun-filled entertainment.’

The judging panel for the award included a mixture of Scottish comedians, artists, journalists and more, including previous winner Janey Godley, Barbie star Sharon Rooney, comic and actor Jonathan Watson, STV News presenter Laura Boyd, actor Tony Curran, Glasgow’s Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren and others. The winner of the award will be unveiled at GICF’s Comedy Gala on Saturday 30 March at the city’s King’s Theatre (tickets for that show are on sale now).

We interviewed former Sir Billy Connolly Spirit Of Glasgow Award recipient, Janey Godley, in the latest issue of our magazine as she prepared to tour a documentary about her life, Janey. Speaking about her comedy career, she told us, 'It wasn’t a fucking hobby. I wasn’t a middle-class Melinda who could just try it; I needed to make a living! And I did, buying a house in the West End of Glasgow from being funny. I sacrificed a lot. Ashley was left at home when she should have had two parents. The good news was that I was fucking good at it. You can say that I was outspoken and cheeky, that I was too chippy and working-class. But I always delivered the goods.’ Read the full interview here. 

Glasgow International Comedy Festival runs until Saturday 30 March. Tickets for all shows are on sale now. Main picture: Mark Liddell.