Amanda Dwyer wins the 2026 Sir Billy Connolly Award

Amanda Dwyer was today announced as the winner of 2026’s Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award at Glasgow International Comedy Festival’s closing Comedy Gala. The comedian collected her award onstage at the King’s Theatre, following a personalised video message sent from Sir Billy Connolly himself, as Scotland’s largest dedicated comedy festival comes to a close. 

Amanda Dwyer becomes the fourth winner of GICF’s only award, with the Festival working with the Big Yin to give out the trophy in his name, celebrating all that makes comedy and the city of Glasgow so entwined with Sir Billy Connolly. Amanda joins Rosco McClelland (2025), Susie McCabe (2024) and Janey Godley (2023) as winners of the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award.

In a personalised video message shown at the Gala to announce the winner, Sir Billy Connolly spoke from his home in Florida, saying: “Hello everybody, I hope you’re enjoying the Gala. Comedy’s come a long way when they give you Galas. Galas were for Bearsden people!”
Addressing the winner directly and referencing one of her jokes, Sir Billy Connolly said, “I’d like to congratulate the winner, Amanda Dwyer, who is superb and knows more about bumholes than I do. Have a ball – enjoy yourself!”

Rosco McClelland presented the Glaswegian comic with the award – a glass trophy engraved with Sir Billy’s famous self-portrait. Amanda Dwyer said onstage: “I don’t believe this. I just, in a million years never thought I was gonna win this. I don’t have any words I can’t believe it – I’m gonna pass out.  I’m really in shock. Thank you so much to the comedy festival – this is genuinely a pure honour. I’m really glad I painted my nails today.”

The comic took the top prize ahead of a six-strong Shortlist which marked the most women ever nominated as well as the first ever non-comic. The full Shortlist included five female comedians and one venue owner and promoter: Amanda Dwyer (comedian), Chris Conway (comedy promoter and club owner), Kate Hammer (comedian), Kim Blythe (comedian), Susan Riddell (comedian) and Zara Gladman (comedian).

Festival Director Krista MacDonald said: “Amanda Dwyer is a comic who personifies the city she comes from in every way. Something Glaswegians are renowned for is finding humour even in dark times, and that is something Amanda does so deftly and thoughtfully in her comedy as she tackles the raw, and often traumatic, realities of being a woman. Amanda’s deadpan delivery and wicked sense of humour have been making waves in the Scottish comedy scene for the past 5 years, and her commitment to making comedy more welcoming for new female voices is just another way in which Amanda embodies the Spirit of Glasgow.“

“Sir Billy Connolly continues to inspire new comics around the world, but especially in his hometown of Glasgow where his fearless creativity and generous spirit can be found around every corner. From bold new artists spanning the city’s cultural landscape to our endless desire to find humour in hard times – it is a city that the Big Yin made famous by travelling the world and telling his stories about us all. As ever, the GICF team are honoured to have Sir Billy involved in the Festival and to give out this award in his name – we thank him and his family for their time.

“We send our warmest congratulations to Amanda as the fourth ever winner of the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award as well as to this year’s wonderful Shortlist who all reflect the heart and humour of the Festival, and of Glasgow. Amanda now joins Janey, Susie and Rosco in this prestigious list of winners who represent our city in the very best, and funniest, way they can.”

Glaswegian comic Amanda Dwyer was Shortlisted for the first time, following her breakout autobiographical shows where she expertly finds humour in even the darkest of places, and delves into the traumas of being a woman. Amanda founded ‘Material, Girl’ – a monthly comedy show, and now hit podcast, with all female and non-binary line-ups at The Stand, in an effort to platform other female comics and create a welcoming space for women in comedy.

GICF’s Comedy Gala rounded off almost three weeks of comedy in the city, with acts from across the Festival performing at the King’s Theatre. Hosted by Susie McCabe, the Gala welcomed stalwarts of the comedy scene including a surprise appearance from comedy duo Almost Angelic, plus solo sets from Karen Dunbar, Stuart Mitchell, Connor Burns and Fred MacAulay alongside rising Scottish stars Ifrah Qureshi and Jack Brookmyre. Susan Riddell, Des Clarke, Amanda Dwyer and Mhairi Black took to the stage before 2025’s winner Rosco McClelland performed a triumphant set ahead of announcing this year’s recipient.

The 2026 Shortlist was chosen by a panel of judges from across Scotland’s cultural landscape, including broadcaster Edith Bowman, actor Gary Lamont, presenter Michelle McManus, actor and writer Greg Hemphill, 2025 winner Rosco McClelland and more. The judges collated the six-strong Shortlist before sending a winner recommendation to Sir Billy Connolly, who makes the ultimate decision on the winner.

Introduced in 2023, the award in honour of Sir Billy Connolly looks to reward an individual who most personifies the Spirit of Glasgow. Celebrating the city and its Glaswegian warmth, resilience and humour which is renowned around the world the award, using criteria which both

Glasgow and Sir Billy Connolly represent including:
Resilient – warm but tough
Open – accessible for all
Unapologetic – proud and unpretentious; curious and challenging; mould-breaking
Gallus – bold and brave; self-starting
Funny – above all else, an ability to make people laugh

Previously announcing Janey Godley as the inaugural winner in March 2023, Sir Billy Connolly said: “Glasgow deserves to have an international comedy festival – it’s the funniest town in the world, bar none. The standard is colossal and I’m always amazed when I see TV or live comedy from Glasgow. I’m very proud to be part of the international festival and I’m very proud that my drawing has been part of the trophy.”

GICF closes the curtain on 2026’s edition with shows tonight from Alan Davies, Rosco McClelland, Juliette Burton and more!