Billy Connolly turns 80: we explore why his marriage to Pamela Stephenson saved his life and other celebrity marriages heroes

Billy Connolly did not expect to make his 80th birthday. The Scottish comedian was drinking himself to death.

Demons from his past and the failure of his first marriage to Iris Pressagh, with whom he had two children, were leading Billy on a downward trajectory. The comedy scene is notorious for hard drinking and Billy used this to mask the trauma from a physical and sexually abusive childhood in Glasgow.

And then love saved him. This love came in the form of Pamela Stephenson, a New Zealand born entertainer who retrained as a psychologist. They met on the set of Not the Nine O’Clock News, the 1980s sketch show, when Stephenson was a regular cast member and Connolly a guest. He saw her whizzing down a studio corridor in a shopping trolley and was greatly charmed, he told The Guardian in 2021. They were both married at the time, Billy to Iris and Pamela to the actor Nicholas Ball.

They didn’t see each other for a year after filming. Both their marriages collapsed during this year and Billy was on tour when he was paid a visit backstage by Pamela after one of his shows. They spent the night together and became a couple from then on. She was the first person to challenge Billy on his drinking. “You’re drinking too much”, she told him and he promised her he would stop, and tried to several times.

The fear of losing Pamela was the catalyst for Billy to change his ways. They had three daughters together, and Billy had custody of the son and daughter from his first marriage.

Billy has said multiple times in interviews and within his autobiography 'Windswept and Interesting' that Pamela has saved him. On the TV show Lorraine, the presenter Lorraine Kelly said: "You mention that Pamela saved you?"

Billy replied: "Without question, it was the woman's way. She said: 'This is the way it's going to be or you're out!' So I paid attention."

Billy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013 and now loves in Florida with Pamela and daughters.

Pamela is not the first woman to save a famous man from self-destruction.

Ozzy Osbourne, the singer, songwriter and TV personality, has been saved by his wife Sharon after battling drink and drug addictions for many years.

The 73-year-old rock legend has battled with alcoholism and drug addiction since the 1970s. He has been sober now for nine years, in large part due to wife and long-time manager, Sharon Osbourne. She struggled for years to keep the Black Sabbath frontman in a safe state and capable of performing.

Sharon spoke to Variety in February 2021, alongside her husband Ozzy and son Jack, who is also a recovering alcoholic.

Sharon said: “Initially I thought the first, maybe up to the fourth or fifth time he went into rehab, I thought, “It will work. He’ll get it this time. This time I know he’s got it.” And then after about the fifth time I’m like, “He’s never going to get it.” And you just accept it. That’s the way it’s going to be.”

Ozzy explained: “Recovery is selfish. But you know if you don’t recover, you know exactly what it’s going to do there. When I drank after some period of time, it’s the worst feeling you will ever, ever have in your life. And you know what you do? You drink more to get rid of that guilt. It’s just that and it’s over.”

Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, like Billy Connolly, in 2003 and the family are moving back full-time to the UK after being in Los Angeles for many years.

Sharon has said that the house feels very calm now that Ozzy is sober. “It’s very pleasant in the house. It’s great for our whole family. It really is.”