Big Yin teaches comics how to make ’em laugh
Legendary comic Sir Billy Connolly is to offer up comedy tips as part of an £80 online course.
Connolly, 79, will front new video tutorials for BBC Maestro, a commercial venture from the corporation that contains a catalogue of lessons from experts in various fields.
An advert for the BBC says the Big
Yin will share his unique approach to stand-up and how budding performers can make theirs “more windswept and interesting”.
The comedy icon, widely regarded as one of the best comedians of the past 50 years, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2013 before retiring from performing five years later.
The Glaswegian continues to present programmes and produce art.
The modules contain hours of content broken down into lessons ranging from 20 to 40 minutes, accompanied by course notes.
BBC Maestro invites subscribers to “let the greatest be your teacher”, having launched in late 2020.
It has lessons from The Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson, Shaun Of The Dead director Edgar Wright, Line Of Duty writer Jed Mercurio and music producer Mark Ronson.
An online subscription for BBC Maestro, costing £110 for a year, gives access to all of the platform’s courses.
The BBC says the service is for “anyone who has a dream or a passion that they’ve always wanted to perfect”.
The e-learning service is part of BBC Studios, the commercial arm of Britain’s public broadcaster.
The educational service mirrors the hugely successful USA-based MasterClass platform.
TV chef Gordon Ramsay, film director Martin Scorsese and former president George W Bush are among those who feature in more than 2,500 lessons.