King Billy

Connolly named funniest stand-up ever

Billy Connolly has been named the funniest stand-of all time

The Glaswegian, who ‘influenced a whole generation of comedians’ topped a poll on Channel 4, unveiled on Sunday night.

Fellow comics lined up to pay tribute, with Eddie Izzard – who came fourth in the list – saying every other comics was ’15 years behind him’.

Chris Addison said he was ‘astonishingly brilliant’, and Ross Noble added: ‘He is the best this country has produced, hands-down.’

Jimmy Carr said: ‘All comics owe him a debt. He is an incredible performer. He pretty much invented what we do for a living’ and Bruce Forsyth added: “ ‘He makes you listen to him, even with that accent, you hang on every word.’

A list of nominees was drawn up by experts, then voted upon by 150,000 visitors to the Channel 4 website.

Peter Kay ‘a stand-up who has rejuvenated end-of-the-pier humour’ was voted number two, and Eddie Izzard number three.

The programme also unearthed some rare footage, such as a young Richard Pryor when he was trying to emulate Bill Cosby’s mainstream ‘colourless' comedy, a pre-Pub Landlord Al Murray doing his old sound-effects routine, and Eddie Izzard’s first TV appearance.

The full list was:

100 - Tim Vine
99 - Patrick Kielty
98 - Alan Carr
97 - Jim Bowen
96 - Bill Cosby
95 - Lee Mack
94 - Ardal O'Hanlon
93 - Rik Mayall
92 - Paul Merton
91 - Dick Gregory
90 - Joe Pasquale
89 - George Burns
88 - Ronnie Corbett
87 - Reg D Hunter
86 - Bob Newhart
85 - Harry Enfield
84 - Demetri Martin
83 - Tommy Trinder
82 - Barry Humphries
81 - Freddie Starr
80 - Andy Kaufman
79 - Frank Carson
78 - Mitch Hedburg
77 - Chic Murray
76 - Arthur Smith
75 - Dave Gorman
74 - Dave Allen
73 - Ed Byrne
72 - Frankie Howerd
71 - John Thompson
70 - Jethro
69 - Russell Brand
68 - Lee Hurst
67 - Mike Reid
66 - Chris Addison
65 - Rhona Cameron
64 - Tommy Tiernan
63 - Alan Davies
62 - George Carlin
61 - Phil Jupitus
60 - Omid Dajilil
59 - Steve Martin
58 - Dave Spikey
57 - Julian Clary
56 - Roseanne
55 - Sean Lock
54 - Emo Phillips
53 - Tommy Cooper
52 - Jerry Seinfeld
51 - Lenny Henry
50 - Bob Hope
49 - Graham Norton
48 - Ken Dodd
47 - Jackie Mason
46 - Rob Newman
45 - Paul O'Grady
44 - Robin Williams
43 - Johnny Vegas
42 - Dara O'Briain
41 - Stewart Lee
40 - Sean Hughes
39 - Jenny Eclair
38 - Andrew Dice Clay
37 - Jim Davidson
36 - Mark Thomas
35 - Denis Leary
34 - David Baddiel
33 - Chubby Brown
32 - Steven Wright
31 - Bob Monkhouse
30 - Lenny Bruce
29 - Bernard Manning
28 - Joan Rivers
27 - Daniel Kitson
26 - Frank Skinner
25 - Steve Coogan
24 - Eddie Murphy
23 - Lee Evans
22 - Jo Brand
21 - Ben Elton
20 - Jasper Carrott
19 - Les Dawson
18 - Alexei Sayle
17 - Dylan Moran
16 - Al Murray
15 - Jerry Sadowitz
14 - Woody Allen
13 - Jack Dee
12 - Jimmy Carr
11 - Ricky Gervais
10 - Ross Noble
9 - Chris Rock
8 - Victoria Wood
7 - Bill Bailey
6 - Bill Hicks
5 - Harry Hill
4 - Richard Pryor
3 - Eddie Izzard
2 - Peter Kay
1 - Billy Connolly