BILLY MY LIFE’S SLIPPING AWAY.. I’M NEAR THE END
Comedian remains positive despite disease
BIG Yin Billy Connolly says his life is nearing its end – but he’s not afraid of dying.
The courageous comedy legend, 75, talks frankly about his Parkinson’s disease ordeal in what could be his last major TV appearance.
youth, now it is time to subtract.’” Parkinson’s, a neurological disorder with no cure, causes issues including involuntary shaking, slow movement, and balance and memory problems.
Billy said: “It is as if I am being prepared for something. Some other adventure, which is over the hill.
“I have got all this stuff to lose first and then I will be the shadowy side of the hill, doing the next episode in the spirit world.” The Big Yin was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2013. He continued to tour for a few years but had to slow down as the condition worsened. The Glaswegian is shown at one point asking for filming to stop as he appears to be feeling the effects of the disease.
In another scene, his hand shakes uncontrollably. He said: “All my life I’ve got sick – the flu and pneumonia, various things – and they all went away. [Parkinson’s] isn’t going anywhere. It is going to get worse.”
He added he is trying to stay happy. Billy, married to Not the Nine O’Clock News comedian turned psychologist Pamela Stephenson, 69, said: “The good things are there. The love we have for people is still there.
“And with a bit of luck the love they have for you is still there. And I am very lucky in as much as I made a bit of a mark, and you think, ‘Well, I must have done something right’. That keeps you company when you are older.”
He added: “You can volunteer to take life seriously but it is gonna get you, they are going to win over you.
“It is harsh, but you can either break down and complain about how miserable your life is or have a go and survive. I think that’s the basis of it all.”
In lighter moments, the programme visits places he loved going to as a child and he shows off the old racing bike he cycled to shows on. He is also greeted by fans wherever he goes.
The former folk singer said: “Since I got Parkinson’s disease, I have cut back all my work but the fame remains and I have never known anything like it.
“It’s a very pleasant feeling, people saying how nice it is to see you and how good you are looking.”
On a positive note, Billy added: “There is still time to go yet, still places to go, new friends to make, maybe new songs to write… and jokes to tell.” ●Billy Connolly: Made in Scotland concludes tomorrow on BBC2 at 9pm.