MY LIFESAVER
Sir Billy pays tribute to wife Pamela
SIR Billy Connolly has revealed his wife Pamela Stephenson “saved him” after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
The Big Yin joined Lorraine Kelly on her ITV show via video link yesterday morning to chat about his new autobiography.
Lorraine referred to a passage in which he mentioned Pamela had “saved him” when she insisted they move to Florida from New York. 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. Because of the Parkinson’s, I was out of balance, and in winter I was sliding and falling on my backside a lot. So, Pamela told me that we were moving and that was it.”
He added: “It’s good days and bad days and the good outnumber bad days so nothing to complain about it.”
In another media appearance to promote his book, Windswept and Interesting, Billy revealed he had lost the ability to write. The 78-year-old appeared by video link on the Graham Norton Show from his Florida home.
He told Norton: “I have lost the ability to write, and it breaks my heart as I used to love writing letters to people.
“My writing went down the Swanee and is totally illegible, so I had to find a way to record everything, but then the recorder didn’t understand my accent so it kept collapsing and my family would have to sort it – it was a club effort!”
Explaining the title of the book, he said: “The rules of being ‘windswept and interesting’ are doing as you please and not taking lessons from anyone.”
Billy also gave Norton an update about living with Parkinson’s. He said “It’s creeping up on me and it never lets go. I walk like a drunk man and have to have help. So, life is different, but it is good.”
The 78-year-old comedian was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013 and retired from live performances five years later. But he has continued to make TV appearances.