Billy Connolly shares his ‘securities and insecurities’ to help beat blood cancer

The following was received by email at ScottishActors HQ, and is reproduced here verbatim:

Billy Connolly comedian, musician, presenter and actor, will share highlights from his life in a special 'Audience with' event to support Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, at London's Criterion Theatre on Sunday 6 November.

Billy, whose new series Route 66 is currently on ITV1, will talk about his upbringing in a Glasgow tenement, his early life as a welder in Scottish shipyards, and how in the early 1970s he made the transition to stand-up comedian.

Now well established as an actor and presenter, Billy is known for his forthright views and has promised not to hold back. He will be interviewed by BBC Creative Director Alan Yentob in the intimate Criterion Theatre and the audience will be able to put their own questions directly to Billy during the evening.

The event follows the huge success of 'A Special Audience' evenings with Mel Brooks, Michael Palin, Stephen Fry and Kevin Spacey, which have raised over £160,000 for the charity’s life-saving research into better treatments and cures for all blood cancers.

Leading literary agent and leukaemia survivor Ed Victor will host the event. Ed still undergoes undergoes regular treatment and is very open about the fact that he owes his life to research. He created the "Special Audience" idea for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research.

Director of Fundraising Kate White says: "It’s brilliant to have the support of Billy Connolly for this year's event. Our 'Audience With' events are extremely popular so we recommend booking early. Please come along for a great night out and help us beat blood cancers."

'A Special Audience with Billy Connolly' will take place at the Criterion Theatre on Sunday 6 November at 8pm. There are a limited number of tickets which include an exclusive champagne reception hosted by Alastair and Ed from 6.30pm available for £120 each. Tickets for show only are £25, £50 or £60 each. To book, please contact Criterion Theatre box office 0844 8471 778 or www.ticketmaster.com.

For further information, please contact Chris Gerrard at Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research Press Office on 020 7685 1043 or email: cgerrard@beatingbloodcancers.org.uk Mobile 07824 375880

About Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research
Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research is the only UK charity solely dedicated to research into blood cancers, including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. These cancers are diagnosed in around 28,500 children, teenagers and adults in the UK every year.

We receive no government funding and rely entirely on voluntary support and need to raise £120 million in the next five years to continue this life-saving research. Further information, including patient information booklets, is available from www.beatbloodcancers.org or on 020 7405 0101.