Billy Connolly

July 2019

What a treat to get to photograph Billy Connelly!

He had slightly disappeared over the past few years, comming to terms with living with Parkinsons Disease, so I wasn’t sure what he would be like when he turned up. He was releasing a book of the text of his stand up comedy performances and was doing a very rare interview for the Observer New Review. When the publicist brought him in, I could see he was physically a bit slow and fragile, but once we started chatting he was razor sharp, funny and laconic.

We would start to shoot and he would suddenly remember another story, which would twist and turn and get funnier, till my assistant and I were sniggering and laughing and have to stop to refocus.

The Parkinson’s, had affected his memory and his motor skills and thus halted his ability to do stand up or play the Banjo any more - though he still has air banjo skills (last shot).