Billy Connolly (b. 1942), was born in Glasgow.

When he was 3 and his sister, Florence, 4, their mother abandoned the children, living the children at home on their own. Neighbours heard the cries of the children and took them to an orphanage. At the time, the children's father, William Connolly, was serving with the Royal Air Force in Burma. Williams 2 unmarried sisters, Margaret and Mona, collected the children from the orphanage and took them in.

After the war, William Connolly moved in with his sisters and his children. He sexually abused his son, and Mona physically beat Billy on a daily basis.

Billy left school at 15, eventually supporting himself through folk singing before he moved to comedy at the age of 28.

Billy Connolly has been entertaining international audiences with his stand-up comedy and acting performances for over forty years, including in films such as Mrs Brown (1997), Open Season (2006), and Brave (2012).

He has received numerous awards, including a BAFTA Lifetime Achievement Award (2003) and honorary doctorates from the University of Glasgow (2001), Nottingham Trent University (2010) and Strathclyde (2017).