The judging panel for an award intended to recognise one of Scotland's brightest comic talent has been confirmed - but it is the Big Yin who will have the final say.
Amid the full return of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival, judges are seeking out voices which best represent the 'Spirit of Glasgow'.
Nominations are now open for the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award and the closing date has been set for March 22.
Actors Elaine C Smith, Sanjeev Kohli and the editor of the Herald Catherine Salmond are among the 11 judges who will create a shortlist of nominations that will be presented to Billy Connolly.
Speaking on the award, the Big Yin said: "Glasgow defies description. Many great men and women have tried to describe its spirit and failed miserably.
"What do you say about a town that dances, sings, plays and jokes differently from everybody else? The winner of this Award will have to be a nutter like me…"
READ MORE: Paul Black and Janey Godley to close Glasgow comedy festival
The full list of judges are:
- Lord Provost, Jacqueline McLaren
- Catherine Salmond, Editor, The Herald
- Janice Forsyth, Broadcaster
- Laura Boyd, STV
- Cassi Gillespie, Clyde One
- Aarti Joshi, Podcaster
- Norry Wilson, Lost Glasgow
- Sanjeev Kohli, Actor & Comedian
- Greg Hemphill, Actor & Comedian
- Elaine C Smith, Actor & Comedian
- Karen Dunbar, Actor & Comedian
- Laura Marks, Commissioner at Channel 4
The winner of the award will be announced at the Closing Gala event taking place at King's Theatre on April 2.
Festival Director Krista MacDonald said the panel "represents the real diversity of the people of Glasgow".
She added: "There is no one that personifies Glasgow more than Sir Billy Connolly, and we hope that this award allows us the opportunity to showcase the very best of the people that help make Glasgow the funniest city in the world.”
Standing as one of the key festival dates on Glasgow’s cultural calendar, the comedy festival celebrates its 20th birthday in 2023.
READ MORE: How Billy Connolly gave Scottish comics their voice as master turns 80
Founded in 2002 and fully launched in 2003 it has helped showcase local talent and acts from further afield alongside big name stars, with past notables including Frankie Boyle, Jimmy Carr, Kevin Bridges, Trevor Noah and Steve Martin and Martin Short.
The festival returns in 2023 after the Covid-19 pandemic put its future in doubt. In 2021 it was announced that the festival would no longer continue until new organisers quickly stepped in to save it.
The Spirit of Glasgow award will be open to any individual, group, show or venue involved in the festival, not only to residents of the city.
Karen Koren, of GICF and corporate director GB Festivals Ltd, conceived the award.
“We feel incredibly privileged to be able to introduce the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award to this year’s festival," she said.
"We hope the award will add to the celebration and really shine a light on some of the incredible hard work by acts and individuals within the comedy industry”
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