Comedian Billy Connolly shrugs off health issues

Billy Connolly will be bringing his show here in April.

Scottish comedian Billy Connolly will tour New Zealand this year, bringing his "High Horse Tour" to 12 cities and towns, starting with two gigs in Napier this April.

Last year, Connolly vowed to continue performing live stand-up comedy despite struggling with his memory after a diagnosis of the "initial symptoms" of Parkinson's disease.

He has also recently been given the all-clear from prostate cancer.

The comic is no stranger to these shores, having toured here extensively since his first live shows in 1978.

He is also married to New Zealand-born actress and psychologist Pamela Stephenson, whose biography of her husband, Billy, was a huge bestseller.

More than 60,000 Kiwis attended shows during his last tour in 2009.

Connolly has also starred on TV and in movies, including Peter Jackson's film versions of The Hobbit, where he played Dain Ironfoot, as well as titles such as Indecent Proposal, Mrs Brown, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and Gulliver's Travels.

Promoter Ian Magan said it would be great to have Connolly back touring the country.

"In the 36 years he has visited New Zealand, Billy has become a true friend to Kiwis, who love his irreverent and topical humour."

Born in Glasgow, Connolly started working life as a welder in the city's shipyards and initially achieved fame on the Scottish folk music scene.

The jokes he told between songs eventually took over his act and he became a full-time comedian - launched to fame in the UK after appearing on Parkinson in 1971.

A worldwide TV audience of over 30 million also got to see him on his trike and naked bungy jumping for his series World Tour of New Zealand (2004).

His upcoming stand-up shows will reach Napier, Auckland, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Christchurch, Timaru, Invercargill, Queenstown, Dunedin, Blenheim, Wellington and Hamilton.

Tickets go on sale from February 7 through Ticketek, Ticketmaster and TicketDirect.