Gold reflects on the decades in two three-part specials of Billy Connolly Does…

Billy Connolly

Monday 26 September 2022

The nation's favourite comedy channel Gold has commissioned two three-part specials of hit show Billy Connolly Does... (6x60'), following the success of series one which aired in March 2022.

Billy Connolly Does..., finds the Big Yin stepping back in time to look at how politics, celebrity, sex, TV and football have changed for all of us in the last 50 years. With more exclusive access to Billy in his Florida home, the three-parters produced by Moonshine Features, part of The Whisper Group, will air in early 2023 and 2024.

Billy Connolly said:

I love this series, who knew that the secret to making TV was hanging out at home, eating biscuits, drinking tea and blethering on about the past?

The new series of Billy Connolly Does... sees the Big Yin take a reflective look at his heroes and villains from over the years, along with what he thinks about fame, showbiz and growing old disgracefully. This time viewers will see Billy in Scotland, Malta and his Florida home.

Mixing Billy's personal recollections, news and pop culture archive, along with more incredible stand-up from the archives, this series provides viewers with a trip down memory lane, but with a joyful and entertaining spin from Billy's own anecdotes about his life over the years.

Billy Connolly Does... is commissioned for UKTV by Iain Coyle, head of comedy entertainment, and ordered by Gerald Casey, channel director for Gold. Richard Watsham is director of commissioning, and Steve North is genre general manager for comedy and entertainment. Executive producers for Moonshine Features are Michelle Crowther and Mike Reilly, who is also the series director.

Iain Coyle said: "I'm so proud to be associated with this series. Billy, and the good people at Moonshine, consistently deliver warm, fascinating and hilarious insights into the mind and memories of this country's greatest living comedian."

Gerald Casey added: "It's fantastic to have more Billy Connolly on Gold. These new series are set to be just as entertaining and heart-warming as the first and I'm excited for viewers to have a thoroughly enjoyable history lesson from the Big Yin."

Moonshine series director, Mike Reilly, said: "UKTV have been brilliant in having the confidence to let this series flourish under its simple ambition to show that regardless of time or age, Billy is still the best company to hang out with. He never stops being funny or surprising and there is always a new tale to be told that floors you with its comic brilliance."

Billy Connolly Does... joins other UKTV Originals on Gold, including Murder They Hope starring Johnny Vegas and Sian Gibson which returns for a second series in October.

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Kelly Phelps, Senior Publicist

About Gold

Sky 110(HD)/ 810, Virgin 120/124(HD), TalkTalk 310 On demand on Sky, Now TV and TalkTalk

Dedicated to celebrating the best of British comedy, Gold is the nation's favourite comedy channel.

Classic British comedy series loved by all the family sit comfortably alongside new UKTV Original scripted comedies crafted by some of the nation's finest comedic minds, such as Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes, Murder, They Hope, The Cockfields and Sandylands. Meanwhile Gold's unscripted series reunite the stars and partnerships of the nation's best-loved shows to get to the heart of what makes them so evergreen - from passion projects such as French & Saunders: Funny Women, Billy Connolly Does..., Lenny Henry's Race Through Comedy and Ricky and Ralf's Very Northern Road Trip to the retrospective likes of dinnerladies diaries and The Fast Show: Just A Load of Blooming Catchphrases.

Gold is the perfect tonic to make you laugh whatever the time of day.

Gold.uktv.co.uk / @goldchannel

About UKTV

UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 25 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands - Dave, Gold, W, Drama, Alibi, Eden and Yesterday - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and scripted drama, and are delivered to audiences through UKTV Play, Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat and Amazon Fire. The broadcaster is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers.

UKTV is part of BBC Studios, the UK's most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world's leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.

corporate.uktv.co.uk | press.uktv.co.uk | @uktvpress

About Moonshine Features

Part of The Whisper Group | Sony Pictures Television, Moonshine Features is run by Creative Directors Michelle Crowther and Mike Reilly who have worked with some of the biggest names in comedy, arts and entertainment, including Billy Connolly, Hugh Laurie, Micky Flanagan, Helena Bonham Carter, Richard E. Grant and Michael Sheen.

Their vast credentials include producing multiple series with Billy Connolly (Made in Scotland (BBC2), Tracks Across America (ITV), Billy Connolly's Big Send Off (ITV), Billy Connolly's Route 66 (ITV)) and all of Micky Flanagan's series for SKY1, including Micky Flanagan's Detour De France, Micky Flanagan's Thinking Aloud series and Peeping Behind the Curtain.