The Big Yin: 17 fabulous photos from the life and times of Billy Connolly in the 1970s and 80s

The Big Yin, who began his entertainment career in Glasgow in The Humblebums with Gerry Rafferty, quickly earned a reputation for stand-up routines that were as much about stories from his life as they were about sharp punchlines.

What set Connolly apart in the 1970s was his ability to straddle comedy and music while being a compelling presence on television. He was a natural storyteller, equally comfortable picking up a guitar to perform a parody song as he was holding a packed theatre spellbound with a 20-minute sprawling tale about life in Glasgow. His rise coincided with a new appetite for live comedy in Britain, and Connolly’s concerts, such as his landmark appearances at the Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow and later the London Palladium, were sell-out events that cemented his reputation as one of the country’s most original performers.

Television soon beckoned. Connolly became a familiar face on British screens in the mid-to-late ’70s with appearances on Michael Parkinson’s chat show, where his unfiltered humour turned him into a household name almost overnight. His famous bike joke - recounted with a gleeful mix of absurdity and honesty - proved to be a breakthrough television moment.

By the 1980s, Billy was revelling in celebrity strewn success with television specials and acting roles in films. His An Audience With Billy Connolly special, filmed in 1985 for LWT, became a television event, blending stand-up with audience participation.

By the end of the decade he was no longer a Glaswegian folk-singer-turned-comedian but an international star, with tours reaching Australia, Canada, and the United States.

Take a look through these pictures that capture the life and times of Billy Connolly in the 1970s and 80s.