By Andy Simon @AndySimon55

I can remember the very first time I saw Billy Connolly.

It was back in May 1980, I was watching a show on BBC2 called Not The 9 O'clock News, and on that show there was a sketch in which Billy was sitting with his future wife Pamela Stephenson, and she was doing a brilliant spoof of journalist Janet Street-Porter.

Billy only said one word in that sketch, "Sorry."

From that point on, my fanship with Billy started. And over the years that passed, I bought albums, DVDs, CDs and read everything and anything I could get my hands on regarding Billy Connolly.

Billy's outlook on life and his way of observing people are now legendary. Back then; when I was a young lad growing up in Kent, some of the things he talked about, the things he saw and did, just made my ribs ache with laughter.

So I was really pleased when ITV announced they were putting on a program recognising Billy Connolly and celebrating the 50 years of laughter and happiness The Big Yin has given us.

It was really nice to watch video clips from ordinary people, not just celebrities sharing their memories, anecdotes, but just simply paying their respects to Billy.

The clips I watched from the many shows, videos and travelogues Billy has done over the years brought back happy memories from when I first saw them, when I was indeed, much younger.

Billy of course has not been without controversy.

For example there was the time In October 2004 at the Hammersmith Apollo when Billy had been criticised for making jokes about hostage Ken Bigley. Billy joked about the future killing of the hostage and mentioned Bigley's Thai wife.

Ken Bigley was executed in Iraq by ISIS, and Billy claimed he had been misquoted but declined to clarify precisely what he said, saying the context was as important as the precise words used.

In 2010 fellow Scottish comic Frankie Boyle came under fire from critics and TV viewers who complained over a quip he made about reality TV star Katie Price's disabled son.

Billy later stepped in to defend Boyle, suggesting he is indeed right to tell what Billy viewed as "cutting edge' jokes.

He told the January issue of Reader's Digest, "I think Frankie Boyle's very funny. People do the humour that's of its time, and that's what they should be doing. If you don't like it, move your thumb, press the other button on the remote, and he's out of your life forever."

Then; there are Billys some would say, "Controversial" views on Religion. For example . . .

"A lot of people are too easily offended. Religious people, for instance, they've been offending other people for centuries."

"When I was a boy, I was a Catholic.
I paid the fine and got out."

"Do you know what "priest" means?
Paedophile Resident In Every Small Town."

"I don't like Born Again Christians.
I'm not too keen on Born-the-first-time Christians."

Love him or hate him, no one can deny the talent he has for observing people, expressing his views, and his incredibly brilliant talent for seeing ourselves through his eyes, and then laughing your head off.

Personally; Billys finest hour came in 1985 when he did a show for London Weekend Television called, "An Audience With Billy Connolly", in which he spoke about a guy wearing incontinence knickers and strutting off down to the disco.

I have never howled so much with laughter.

If you have never seen it, then take a look on YouTube.
Everything in the world is on there, so you'll find it.
It's well worth watching.

I have no real criticism about Billy And Me other than one? It wasn't long enough, but hey; I'm a fan after all.

I'm just being picky here.

Billy Connolly I know, is not to everyone's liking. But for those who bought his DVD's, watched his travelogues, went to see him live or even better, actually met the man in person, will I'm sure, never forget how much Billy made them laugh.

And on a final point; I wholeheartedly agree with the chap who said in his video clip, to have an hour of Billy Connolly every day, if you suffer from depression. It certainly did the trick for him.

That's how much Billy has touched so many lives.

I cannot say Billy Connolly ever changed my life, but he often added to it, with his clarity of thought, incredibly sharp wit, keen observation, and his opinions and views of life.

And for all this, and indeed for so much more . . .

Here's to you Billy!
I thank you.

ITV's celebration of The Big Yin, Billy Connolly, Billy And Me, is still available to watch on the ITV Hub.

Thanks for reading.

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