Sir Billy Connolly unveils new self portraits in trio of art work

Leading the release is A Load of Old B******* - Variations, an ambitious limited-edition series that reimagines one of Connolly’s most recognisable artworks through 365 individual colourways.

Meanwhile, the 82-year-old, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, will also release two highly personal self-portraits, Did You Read Do? and VegeMaybe.

Castle Fine Arts said the trio of works “celebrate humour, imagination and creative storytelling”.

Discussing the Load of Old B******* artwork in a video released alongside it, Sir Billy characteristically embraces the irreverent title. Each edition is hand-signed and uniquely numbered in Roman numerals, ensuring that every collector acquires a distinct variation of the image.

“This is a load of old b*******, that’s why it’s called that, to give you the to opportunity to say it to its face,” he said. “It’s a lovely expression and it fits it great. I did circles and lines and joined them up and put colour on them until they became interesting,” he said.

“Any time I tell anybody what it’s called, they burst out laughing and that’s the joy of it. It just sits there and glows and I love it.”

He added: “It’s like one of those things in a space programme on television. Another thing it could be is a really complex game of marbles.”

Created originally for an exhibition in Sydney, the self portrait works reveal a more autobiographical side to the comedian’s visual practice, drawing upon his deep affection for Australia, a country that has played a significant role throughout his life and career.

Since taking up painting and drawing, Sir Billy has built a distinctive visual language every bit as recognisable as his celebrated stage performances. Through Born On A Rainy Day, he continues to invite audiences into a world shaped by curiosity, imagination and an enduring sense of fun.

Sir Billy, who was knighted in 2017 for services to entertainment and charity, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013 and retired from live stand-up performances five years later, but has continued to record programmes and make TV appearances.

His most recent projects include TV shows such as 2018’s Billy Connolly: Made In Scotland, Billy Connolly’s Great American Trail in 2019 and Billy Connolly Does… which began airing in 2022.

Earlier this year, Sir Billy warned that scammers using Artificial Intelligence were impersonating him and his wife, Pamela Stevenson, online. Deepfake images of celebrities are often used in scams and fake adverts featuring public figures were the most reported scam adverts reported to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in 2024.

The new editions will be available through Castle Fine Art galleries nationwide and online at castlefineart.com.