Rosco McLelland wins Sir Billy Connolly Award at Glasgow Comedy Festival

Rosco McClelland has been announced as the winner of 2025’s Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award.

The comedian collected his trophy onstage at the King’s Theatre at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival’s (GICF) Comedy Gala, following a video message from Sir Billy Connolly himself on the final day of this year’s festival.

The only award given by GICF, Rosco McClelland took home the prize ahead of a seven-strong Shortlist including Craig Hill, Marjolein Robertson, Paul Black and Viv Gee.

Rosco joins previous winners Susie McCabe (2024) and Janey Godley (2023), as GICF work with Sir Billy for the third year in a row “to celebrate all that makes comedy and the city of Glasgow so special”.

Sir Billy Connolly sent a personalised video message from his home in Florida to announce the winner saying: “Hello everybody, it’s Billy Connolly here. I’ve just been enjoying your comedy at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival, the level is very high…”

Addressing the winner directly, Sir Billy Connolly referenced one of Rosco’s most famous jokes, saying: “Congratulations to Rosco McClelland – the slug nudger! Well done – I had a good laugh at your thing about the slugs in the bin. I wish you all the very best, I hope your career goes bouncing from strength to strength and that the Glasgow humour goes bounding from strength to strength, as it will. Congratulations.”

Festival Director Krista MacDonald said: “Rosco McClelland is one of Scotland’s brightest comedic voices and has been entertaining audiences for over a decade with his unique look at the absurdities of everyday life.

“After being nominated for awards like Best Newcomer back in 2015, to see a homegrown Glaswegian talent like Rosco be honoured with 2025’s Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award is a real testament to his hard work and commitment to his craft. Rosco embodies all that is exceptional about Glasgow and its comedy scene; a bold and brave brand of comedy, an unparalleled resilience and warmth and, above all else, an unfailing desire to make people laugh.

“Sir Billy Connolly is a comic who has shaped and defined Glasgow’s cultural identity, and reflected the very best of this city back to audiences around the world. To have the Big Yin involved in the Festival in this way and for us to distribute an award in his name is a real honour.

“The GICF team send our warmest congratulations to Rosco as the winner of the third ever Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award, as well as this year’s outstanding Shortlist, who are all a shining representation of the strength of Scottish comedy.”

Rosco McClelland has been entertaining audiences for over a decade in his hometown of Glasgow as well as at Fringe Festivals around the world.

He will close out this year’s GICF with his show ‘Sudden Death’ at Oran Mor on Sunday March 30.