Rosco McClelland wins top prize at Glasgow Comedy Festival

The Glasgow International Comedy Festival came to a close last night (30 Mar) with a gala ceremony and the awarding of its most coveted prize – the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award – to hometown favourite Rosco McClelland. It was McClelland's second time being nominated for the award; he told us in an interview, conducted in mid-March for our April issue, that he didn’t think he’d a chance of winning, and was already looking forward to a nomination in 2026. “I'm saying 'I'll see you next year' even before it's been judged so I'm ready,” he said, “I'm committing to the bit. That's what you get from me.” Read the interview here, or in print from Tue 1 Apr.

He’s the third comic to win the prize, following Susie McCabe in 2024 and the late Janey Godley, who won the inaugural award in 2023. “I honestly can’t believe this, I never thought about anything to say but I’m going to Fuerteventura tomorrow so I’m looking forward to that!” McClelland said, picking up his prize. “Thank you so much – to join the list of people who have won, Janey and Susie, is incredible.”

Six other homegrown acts were nominated for the award – Craig Hill, Kim Blythe, Marjolein Robertson, Paul Black, Scott Agnew and Viv Gee – and McClelland was chosen from a panel of judges who included a mix of journalists, presenters, commissioners and performers like Alan Cumming, Still Game’s Greg Hemphill and Sanjeev Kohli, and last year’s winner, McCabe. The judges chose McClelland based on the following five criteria, which the festival feels both Glasgow and Billy Connolly represent: Resilient (warm but tough); Open (accessible for all); Unapologetic (proud and unpretentious; curious and challenging; mould-breaking); Gallus (bold and brave, self-starting); and Funny (above all else, an ability to make people laugh).

The great Billy Connolly also gave his stamp of approval. Addressing McClelland, Connolly said: “Congratulations to Rosco McClelland – the slug nudger! [referencing one of McClelland’s most famous jokes] 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.”

There was also a one-off award handed out as part of Glasgow’s 850 celebrations in 2025. The prize went to Glasgow-based performance poet, comedian, actor, writer and comedy skills teacher Viv Gee, who was honoured for her contribution to the comedy community in Glasgow

You can read more about McClelland’s new show Sudden Death in his interview with our Comedy editor, Polly Glynn, in the April issue of The Skinny; catch Rosco McClelland at Monkey Barrel, Edinburgh on 13 April and Number 57, Dundee on 18 April.