Billy Connolly: BAFTA award

Scots comedy legend Billy Connolly in tears as he accepts BAFTA award
Kevin Bridges presented the Big Yin with the Outstanding Contribution in Television and Film award, and thanked him for being an inspiration to Scottish comedians.

Kevin Bridges and Billy Connolly

Billy Connolly sobbed  as he received a Scottish Bafta award last night (10 Dec)
He was presented with a gong for an Outstanding Contribution in Television and Film by stand-up comedian Kevin Bridges.
Kevin thanked Billy for being a inspiration to generations of Scots comics and Billy replied: “This is a delightful thing, especially coming from Scotland.
“I’ve been nominated for loads of things and got b***** all. I occasionally get these good attendance things, like the guy in remedial class getting a prize for being kind.
“Genuinely, to get this from Scotland, I almost say it breaks my heart. It just hits me somewhere where I live.”
As Billy burst into tears, the crowd in Glasgow’s Fruitmarket applauded wildly.
He continued: “I don’t know what to do now. It’s been a real pleasure to talk to you. I guess you only get these things once … but could we meet every second week?”
The presentation came at the end of a 90-minute discussion about Billy’s Life In Pictures alongside a few dodgy jokes about thalidomide and the Gorbals.
The Big Yin talked about his roles in films such as 1978’s Absolution with Richard Burton and Mrs Brown with Judi Dench.
Of Burton, he said: “The funny thing was, I was drunk and he was sober.
“They shot the graveyard scene from the back and what you couldn’t see was him singing I Belong to Glasgow.
“He was a priest and I showed him where the pocket was in the cassock for his fags.”
Mrs Brown also left a big impression. Billy said: “At one point, I thought that Judi Dench fancied me. She kept giving me the eye in one scene and I thought, ‘What am I going to do?’ I danced about more and she started doing it again.
“It was getting worse and then it dawned on me that she was being Queen Victoria, so I fancied her back.”
Billy admitted he was disappointed to miss out on a Bafta for Mrs Brown – instead it went to Ewan McGregor for Trainspotting.
He said: “Ewan beat me with that filth about drugs in Edinburgh – and that language, too.
“I hate Ewan for beating me. When you get beaten by somebody you like, it’s worse. “
However, Billy said he never likes to watch himself and branded method acting as “pretentious c**p”.
And he admitted he sometimes calls his wife Pamela Stephenson for acting tips when he is on the film or TV set.
He also confessed he wasn’t a fan of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit before he starred in the film.
Billy said: “I hadn’t read The Hobbit and don’t like people who have. They’re not my cup of tea.”
He said two of his favourite current comedians are Dylan Moran and Bill Bailey.
But he added: “Most of the others are Americans and Robin Williams beats everybody when it comes to sheer invention.”

Source (including photo): Daily Record

Billy Connolly Interview - The British Independent Film Awards 2012
Published on Dec 9, 2012
Stefan Pape from HeyUGuys interviews acting royalty and comedy legend Billy Connolly at the 2012 British Independent Film Awards
Source: YouTube

Billy Connolly: Outstanding Contribution BAFTA, and birthday tributes

Billy Connolly is still going strong at 70

 

Fellow comedians and friends pay tribute to Billy Connolly as he turns 70
He is the Scots legend who made his name with a banjo, a pair of banana boots and a place to park a bike.

But as Billy Connolly celebrates his 70th birthday today (24 Nov), he shows no signs of slowing up.
Named earlier this year by modern stand-ups as the most influential comic of all time, he is as loved by young stars as by veterans.
Billy went from shipyards to folk music to comedy and his career took off after an appearance on the Michael Parkinson show in 1975 – when he told a gag about a man who buries his wife and uses a part of her anatomy as a bike stand.
Pals and fans tell Brian McIver of their admiration for the Big Yin.
Read more at Daily Record

Billy Connolly wins Outstanding Contribution award at Scottish BAFTAs
Scots comedian Billy Connolly was honoured at the Scottish BAFTAs for his Outstanding Contribution to Television and Film.
'The Big Yin' couldn't attend the ceremony at Glasgow's Radisson Blu hotel, but actor Brian Cox was still delighted to be making the announcement – if a little surprised.
"I'm shocked actually," Cox said on the red carpet. "I thought Billy had probably already got something here. So I was a wee bit taken aback that they hadn't honoured him before.
"Once you've seen Billy on stage and you've seen him perform he's unbeatable. And he started it all. Every comedian today owes something to Billy. I'm sorry he's not here, but I'm glad he's working."
Connolly couldn't accept the award in person because he was working in San Francisco, but said before the event: “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."
Among Connolly's many film and TV credits are The Man Who Sued God, Mrs Brown and Brave.
He also regularly presents travel programmes and is due to appear in The Hobbit: There and Back Again.
Brian Cox added: "It's a great honour for me, and it's a great honour for Billy Connolly to have something presented by me… I'm only joking."
On December 10, an event will be held in Glasgow exploring Connolly's life in pictures*, with tickets available from the BAFTA website nearer the time *
Source (with video): STV

Billy Connolly's acceptance speech can be seen here

Also reported by Contact Music and (with video interview) The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Official Channel

* Tickets are now on sale for the Billy Connolly BAFTA Scotland event - see here for details

Scottish BAFTAs

A dram fine Baftas night for Angels’ Share as Scots film scoops awards

Paul Brannigan with his Best Actor award. Picture: PA

Whisky caper The Angels’ Share, its young star, Paul Brannigan, and rising film-maker Zam Salim grabbed a share of the glory from Billy Connolly at tonight’s Scottish Bafta ceremony in Glasgow.
The screenplay for director Ken Loach’s Cannes prize-­winning heist movie won the best writer gong for his regular collaborator, Paul Laverty.
The best actor award went to Brannigan, who was plucked from obscurity, while working on a violence-reduction programme, by the veteran English director for the lead role of a troubled young Glaswegian persuaded to stage a dramatic raid on a distillery.
Brannigan had been competing with one of his co-stars, Siobhan Reilly, for the coveted prize.

BBC Scotland won a huge boost after capturing the current affairs award for its controversial documentary, Rangers, The Men Who Sold The Jerseys.

Among the stars to attend the event – hosted by Edith Bowman – were Brian Cox, Ewen Bremner, Siobhan Redmond, Rory Bremner and Neil Oliver.

Connolly, who was awarded an outstanding contribution to film and television Bafta, was 
unable to attend the event due to a previous commitment in the United States.
But he recorded a video message, in which he spoke of his pride at getting the award,
telling the 500-strong audience: “I left school with nothing, you know.”
Connolly, who is due to make an in-person appearance at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow next month, added: “Thank you very, very much, television viewers and people of Bafta Scotland, for this wonderful, wonderful award. I really appreciate it.
“I know you people think that we luvvies get prizes every day, shiny things handed to us, but the last time I was up for a Bafta prize in Scotland, I lost both of them, one to Ewan McGregor and the other to Kaye Adams.
“I’m really sorry I can’t be there, because I am in San Francisco doing some engagements, but I will be in Glasgow in
December and my heart is there all the time.”

Hollywood star Cox, who made a tribute speech about Connolly in the star’s
absence, said: “An honour like this for Billy has been a long time coming, he really should have been honoured well before now. As an actor, he’s simply been getting better and better.”

Zam Salim collected both the best director Bafta and best feature film prize with his black comedy Up There, his first film, which was premièred at the Glasgow Film Festival this year.

Stuart Cosgrove, the broadcaster, writer, media pundit and TV executive, was honoured for a career which saw him become head of programmes for the
nations and regions on Channel Four.

Rab C Nesbitt star Gregor Fisher beat off competition from co-star Elaine C Smith to win the best TV actor award, while Antiques Road Trip, which STV made for the BBC, scooped the best factual entertainment programme award.

Brannigan said: “It’s a real honour to be here. It’s the proudest moment of my life, after the birth of my son.!
“I could never have imagined I’d be here in Glasgow on the red carpet.
“It’s bigger than Cannes, to be honest.”

Jude MacLaverty, director of Bafta in Scotland, said: “The awards reflect the sheer breadth of talent being generated in Scotland, and it’s great to see so much of it celebrated tonight.”

Read more at Scotsman

Also reported (with video) by BBC

Also reported by:

Herald Scotland
Female First 
Sydney Morning Herald
Screen Daily and many more

Winners of the BAFTA Scotland Awards 2012

• Best Comedy / Entertainment - Mrs Brown's Boys
• Best Game - Bad Hotel
• Current Affairs - Rangers The Men Who Sold The Jerseys
• Single Documentary - Afterlife: The Strange Science of Decay
• Best Factual Series - Afghanistan: The Great Game, A Personal View by Rory Stewart
• Features / Factual Entertainment - Antiques Road Trip
• Best Actor / Actress Television - Gregor Fisher (Rab C Nesbit)
• Director - Zam Salim (Up There)
• Best Writer - Paul Laverty (The Angels' Share)
• Best Actor / Actress Film - Paul Brannigan (The Angels' Share)
• Animation - The Making of Longbird
• Feature Film - Up There
• Special Achievement Award 2012: Callum Macrae (Director) SRI LANKA'S KILLING FIELDS
• Special Achievement Award 2012: Paul Mcguigan (Director) SHERLOCK
• Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting - Stuart Cosgrove
• Outstanding Contribution for Craft (In Memory of Robert McCann) - Trisha Biggar
• Outstanding Contribution to Television and Film - Billy Connolly CBE

Read more at Daily Mail

Siobhan Reilly

Actress Siobhan Reilly who is up for a Scottish Bafta for The Angel's Share

From the Daily Record, 11 November:
Angels' Share star is up for Scottish Bafta but still works as teacher
Down to earth Siobhan Reilly will next week combine teaching her primary class and attending the British Academy Scotland Awards where she has been nominated for her role in the Ken Loach film.

ANGELS' SHARE star and Bafta nominee Siobhan Reilly yesterday looked forward to a busy week – teaching her primary class.
But, as well as planning lessons for her school pupils, she has also got to attend the British Academy Scotland Awards – the Scottish Baftas – where she has been nominated for her role in Ken Loach’s award-winning film.
Siobhan, 29, has been nominated for the best film actor/actress alongside her co-star Paul Brannigan and James Cosmo for Citadel.
Win or lose, it’s going to make for an interesting day at Petersburn Primary School in Airdrie, where pupils and colleagues are wishing her well.
She said: “The kids know. I think a lot of parents have watched it first and showed them little sections which I have been in where there is not much swearing or they have seen the trailer. So everyone has seen some bit of it.
“It was funny. One of the boys said to his mum, ‘I recognise her face, I don’t know where I know her from.’
“I had been teaching him for three months. Then somebody at school told him and he said to me, ‘Miss Riley, are you in a film?’
“The kids love it. They are really excited by it and I keep them up-to-date with all the gossip and awards and things. The staff as well – they are so supportive.
“The kids and teachers have brought in their copies of the DVD so I can sign them. Maybe we can do an auction at the Christmas fair and make some money for the school.”
The Angels’ Share – which won the Great Scot Entertainment Award – was directed by Loach and written by Scots writer Paul Laverty.

The cast of Paul Laverty, Siobhan Reilly, William Ruane and Jasmin Riggins

It follows the story of Robbie – played by Brannigan – who vows to turn over a new leaf following the birth of his son to girlfriend Leonie, played by Siobhan.
A visit to a whisky distillery inspire an audacious plan to get the cash for a new start.
The film has won critical acclaim and has propelled Siobhan, who had previously appeared in The Bill and films such as The Clan, back into acting after taking two years out to train as a teacher.
She said: “I’ve trained as an actor and a teacher. My first degree was in acting at what was then the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow.
“I acted for a few years, then went back and did a post-grad degree in teaching at Glasgow University.
“I’d just finished my probation year as a teacher when I heard about The Angels’ Share.
“It was like a nice jigsaw, all fitting together.”
Siobhan is looking forward to teaming up with her co-stars again, including fellow nominee Brannigan, whose tough upbringing in the east end of Glasgow with drug addict parents has made headlines since the film was released.
She said: “All the cast were lovely and that’s where Ken is really clever – he matches personalities.
“Working with Paul, we just had a really good bond, a good connection, and I think it came across on camera.

Siobhan connected with co-star Paul Brannigan

“It is great getting to go to things like the Baftas because we all get together again and have a good laugh. There were more shenanigans offset than there was on camera.”The Angels’ Share also took Siobhan to the Cannes Film Festival, where it was given a rousing reception by critics and film fans alike.
She said: “Cannes was amazing and at the première the audience gave us a 10-minute standing ovation.
“I said to Ken, ‘These people are really nice’. And he said, ‘If they hadn’t liked it, they would have booed us out the door’.”
Siobhan has been working as a supply teacher since shooting finished and fitting in auditions and filming elsewhere, which has included a role in an upcoming episode of River City.
She said: “I have been teaching for the last year-and-a-half. At the moment, I am doing supply but I am also working on River City. So I was teaching Monday, at River City Tuesday, teaching Wednesday, Thursday, then back at River City on Friday – that’s been my week.
“I try to shuffle the two careers. At the minute, it is going well because supply work can be really flexible but it is like two different worlds.”
Siobhan is delighted with her Bafta nomination and wants to continue both careers for as long as possible.
She said: “It feels like an honour to be nominated and I am chuffed.
“Acting is a great job and I would love to do as much as possible but I do enjoy teaching. It keeps you in touch with real life. Whatever is meant to happen will happen.”

• The British Academy Scotland Awards are on Sunday (18 Nov). See www.bafta.org/scotland

Source (including photos): Daily Record 

Paul Brannigan

Angel star turns monster for East End kids
Angels’ Share star, Paul Brannigan, became Frankenstein’s monster for the night for kids in the East End of Glasgow.
It was part of a week of activities run by PEEK which included making masks and candle holders, a scary trip to Edinburgh Dungeon and cycling in Aberfoyle as well as a Hallowe’en party.
More than 200 people attended the Hallowe’en Ghost Walk and Monsters Ball at Reidvale Neighbourhood Centre last weekend.
Paul, who played Robbie in Ken Loach’s Scottish film The Angels’ Share, helped out and his young son also joined in, dressed as batman.
Michaela Munro, from PEEK, said: “It was a huge success, it was amazing to see the children get involved. The evening was terrifyingly terrific. We hope everyone had a spectacular evening.
“We would like to thank everyone who came and especially all those who helped.”
Read more at All Media Scotland


Paul Brannigan receives Scottish BAFTA nomination
Paul Brannigan has been nominated for the Scottish BAFTA for Best Actor for his performance in Ken Loach’s The Angels’ Share.

Paul leads the film as Robbie, a young ex-con hoping to make a new life for himself and his young family by starting out in the whiskey industry. The film won the Jury Prize at this year’s Cannes International Film Festival.

Since shooting The Angels’ Share, Paul has gone on to appear in Jonathan Glazer’s new feature Under the Skin alongside Scarlet Johansson and feature in the Scottish continuing drama River City. He's currently shooting Dexter Fletcher’s new Proclaimers film Sunshine on Leith, in which he plays wounded soldier named Ronnie.

The Scottish BAFTA awards will be held in Glasgow on the 18th November 2012.
Source: Curtis Brown 

Scottish BAFTA nominations

Scottish BAFTAs 2012 nominations revealed, with Edith Bowman set to host
Radio presenter Edith Bowman will host this next month's Scottish BAFTAs ceremony, with Ken Loach acclaimed film The Angels' Share leading the way in the nominations.
The film, which saw Loach receive the Jury Prize at the Cannes festival earlier this year, is up for four awards. The winners will be announced in Glasgow on Sunday November 18.
The Angels' Share is up for best feature film, with Paul Laverty nominated for best writer. Meanwhile Paul Brannigan – who hosted Born To Lose? for the STV Appeal – and Siobhan Reilly are up for best actor and actress respectively.
Meanwhile Antiques Road Trip, which is made by STV Productions, is nominated in the features/factual entertainment category.
Fife-born Bowman said: "The event is a brilliant showcase of the moving image industries and highlights the wealth of talent here in Scotland.
"Over the past year Scotland has cemented its reputation as a leading player in film, TV and game production. So much fantastic work has been produced and I'm very excited to see who wins from the list of nominees."
Kevin Bridges's show What's The Story? is among those nominated for best comedy/entertainment programme, while the funny man is also up for best writer for the series.
There may be some marital strife as Gregor Fisher and Elaine C Smith go head to head in the best television actor/actress category. They’re nominated for their husband/wife roles in Rab C Nesbitt.
Jude MacLaverty, director of Bafta in Scotland, said: "The British Academy Scotland Awards is all about rewarding excellence in the industry, and this year's nominations reflect the sheer breadth of talent, creativity, and originality here in Scotland."
Source: STV

The acting nominees are...
ACTOR/ACTRESS FILM

• Paul Brannigan: The Angels’ Share
• James Cosmo: Citadel
• Siobhan Reilly: The Angels’ Share

ACTOR/ACTRESS - TELEVISION

• Iain De Caestecker: Young James Herriot
• Gregor Fisher: Rab C Nesbitt
• Elaine C Smith: Rab C Nesbitt

Also reported (with full nominations list) by Scotsman  BBC Scotland and Daily Record

Photo of Edith Bowman: Scotsman