Billy Connolly would have to be in the running to be the world’s favourite comedian - at least in the stand-up stakes he is certainly the best known. In this made for television special, we see a career that's spanned 30 years and is still going strong. It's made up primarily of archival footage from his many TV appearances on chat shows (including the Midday Show with Ray Martin) and of interviews with well-known people that class him as a friend. Stars interviewed include Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman, Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Parkinson and Eddie Izzard to name a few. They all recount what they think it is that makes Billy so funny and why he is loved the world over. Dustin Hoffman sums him up as “a big fart with no offensive odour�.

There are many subjects covered in this feature, yet surprisingly there is little to no mention of his 30th anniversary. There is the usual reference to his humble beginnings as a folk musician and as a welder in Glasgow, things that most fans have heard before. Other subjects covered include his need to make it in America, paving the way for others and of his time making films and the hit songs D.I.V.O.R.C.E. and In The Brownies.

His obvious attraction is there, but it is hard to pinpoint what it is, he is just so likeable. Grandmothers attend his shows and don’t even flinch at the continuous swearing - they just want to adopt him. This feature is full of swearing, but somehow it just doesn’t seem offensive when said by Connolly. He states that people go home from his shows with sore jaws from laughing so hard, but they can never remember what he said, partly because he makes it up as he goes along. I can testify to this inability to remember what he discussed during a show after seeing him on one of his many sell-out tours of Australia.

Although this is riddled with snippets from his stand-up work, you get to the point where you just want to see some extended stand-up. At 51:47 it kicks in, almost 48 minutes of uninterrupted stand-up from a show at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1999. He has always had the hippy look, but I have never seen Billy look as hairy as he does in this show. Still, as he states “f**k handsome, I’m rich�. He covers many topics in this stand-up section, such as numerous bodily functions, a fire at an anorak factory in Glasgow and his views on religion. The topics are varied but somehow seem to sit well together.

This is a good documentary/TV special in its own right, but having the extended stand-up section makes this very much worth a look.

Being a made for television special, this is of course in full frame. Also being a montage of his career spanning thirty years, there is usage of some very old footage. Due to this the quality varies greatly. The more recent interview footage is very good, with strong colours and true skin tones. Archival footage is also good, taking into account its age. It is mostly taken from old British TV shows and has held up well over time. There is quite a bit of grain, giving it a very aged look, but colours are reasonably true throughout. The footage used for the live section of the feature is generally good. The colours are fairly minimal but those used are true. Picture is generally sharp with a minor amount of aliasing. Detail is acceptable and there is slight over-saturation at times.

Audio is a little disappointing. Presented in Dolby Digital 2.0, the sound is generally acceptable. The disappointment, however. is the occasional drop-out, not only from differing footage used but also during the same footage. One moment the sound would be at a good level and then you would be struggling a little to hear. The difference is not major, but it is noticeable.

Extras? What extras? The main menu appears with the choices of 'Play' and 'Web Link', that's it! There isn’t even a scene selection. It's really not good enough.

As is the case with all Billy Connolly releases, this is full of laughs and fans of the Big Yin will enjoy it. There is not a lot on here that you wouldn’t have seen on other compilations apart from the extended stand-up section, but it is still very entertaining. Overall, a definite purchase for fans and worth a rental for those that enjoy a good wee belly laugh.