Billy Connolly announces Aussie tour

WILD Scottish comic Billy Connolly will return to Australia for a two month, country-wide tour in the new year.

Connolly has visited Australia a number of times - it was a feature of his world tour documentary series for the BBC - but it has been six years since the funnyman last made it over.

His 2011 The Man tour kicks off in Melbourne in January.

Connolly has been performing live stand-up gigs for more than three decades, touring the UK, Australia, New Zealand and making increasing visits to the US.

The boisterous Scot has also made a name for himself as a serious actor.

He was nominated for a BAFTA for his performance as the confidante to Judi Dench's Queen Victoria in Mrs Brown (1997), and has also appeared in The Last Samurai(2003), Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) and The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008).

Tickets for his Melbourne and go on sale on September 20.

Tickets for all other shows go on sale on September 21.

Billy Connolly's The Man tour dates:

Melbourne - The Arts Centre, State Theatre - January 17, 18, 19, 21 and 22

Wollongong - WIN Entertainment Centre - February 1

Adelaide - Adelaide Entertainment Centre - February 4

Canberra - Canberra Royal Theatre - February 8

Brisbane - Brisbane Convention Centre - February 10 and 11

Gold Coast - Gold Coast Convention Centre - February 18

Hobart - Derwent Entertainment Centre - February 21

Sydney - Sydney Opera House - February 27, 28 and March 1

Newcastle - Newcastle Entertainment Centre - March 3

Perth - Burswood Theatre - March 16 and 17