October 8, 2004

Billy Connolly has stepped up his attack on the media for reporting his jokes about murdered British hostage Ken Bigley. In a statement on his website, the 61-year-old comic says he is "angry and disgusted" by the press reports about his comments on stage. Before Mr Bigley was executed, Connolly told audiences: "Perhaps I shouldn't be saying this ... aren't you the same as me, don't you wish they would just get on with it?" He presented the comment as his honest, if obviously evil, response to the blanket coverage of the sickening case.

But now he claims the comments "comments were restricted to pointing out the hypocrisy of some people - including sections of the media - faking concern about Mr Bigleys predicament while enjoying the drama of the tragedy and exploiting it for their own ends". The statement added: "Billy is saddened by any distress these false reports have caused Mr Bigley's family."

However, Connolly spoke in less measured tones when he ran into the Press pack at Heathrow earlier in the week.

He told one TV reporter: "Don't you feel like a bit of a fucking parasite sometimes? You're fucking slime.” and said to another: "Why the fuck would I want to talk to you? I don’t give a fuck if you are asking me a question. I don’t know who you are.” During his show at the Carling Apollo in Hammersmith he also commented about Ken Bigley’s wife Sombat, saying: "What is it with him and that young Asian wife?" When the controversy first, Ken Bigley’s brother Paul said: “I don’t like his humour anyway. If you want to be entertained by a person of that calibre, by all means go and queue up in the rain. That’s my comment; that’s all I’m going to say."