I may never be able to perform again, says Billy
Billy Connolly has spoken movingly of his physical decline in his most searingly honest interview on his illness yet.
Shaking uncontrollably and unsteady on his feet, the 74-year-old comedy legend admitted he was not sure he would ever walk on stage again.
yet, in a Mail interview brimming with laughter and mischief, he showed his sense of humour remained in the rudest of health.
‘i’m trying to stay on the light side because the dark side is unthinkable,’ said the Scot who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s three and a half years ago.
But when asked if there was a stage at which he might take his own life – as his friend and fellow Parkinson’s sufferer Robin Williams did in 2014 – he did not dismiss the suggestion.
‘Asking waiters to help you out from the table is one of those stages,’ he said.
The star – whose 50-year career is the subject of an iTV special this week – moved from New york to Florida with his wife Pamela Stephenson, 67, four months ago in the hope the warmer climate would help him battle his illness.
He says the tremors which affect the left side of his body have robbed him of many of the things in life he loves.
‘it’s the first thing i think about in the morning because getting out of bed is quite hard,’ he adds.
‘it’s a weird thing because it stopped me playing the banjo and it stopped me smoking cigars. it seems to creep up on everything i like and take it away from me.
‘it’s like being tested... “Cope with that, cope with life without your banjo. Now i’m going to make your hand shake so you can’t tie your fishing flies any more”.’
He also admitted that he is increasingly reliant on his wife, the former Not the Nine O’Clock News star he met in 1979.
‘it’s kind of drawn us together,’ he said. ‘i’m really dependent on her, you know, physically, whereas i used to be the strong guy.’
Speaking of his move to Florida, he said: ‘it’s lovely here, it makes me feel good, plus when we moved it was winter in New york and i didn’t want to be sliding all over the sidewalk. i’m not very good with balance. i walk like a drunk man.’
The Glasgow-born star, who began adult life as a welder on the Clyde docks, declares himself satisfied with what he has achieved.
He revealed that, aged 40, he wrote all the things he wanted on a piece of card and put it in his wallet. ‘i was looking at the card three weeks ago. Everything worked, so things have worked out pretty well,’ he says.
Connolly was first alerted to the fact he had Parkinson’s in 2013 when an Australian doctor walked towards him in a hotel lobby.
Orthopaedic surgeon Gary Fettke had approached the comedian to ask for an autograph.
But, after watching the way Connolly was moving, he decided to tell him that he was showing early
signs of Parkinson’s. Dr Fettke said Connolly walked like someone who had had a few drinks.
Connolly later spoke about the meeting, recalling: ‘I was walking through the lobby and there was a crowd of boys and girls and a couple of adults.
‘It turned out they were dancers from Australia. The guy who was in charge of them came over to me one day and said: “Billy, I’m a big fan, I’m from Tasmania”. He said: “I’m a surgeon and I have been watching you walking, you have a strange gait”.
‘He said: “You’re showing distinct signs of early onset Parkinson’s disease – see your doctor”. I think it was the way I held myself when I was walking.
‘Then they did blood tests and various other little bits and pieces – and told me I had it.’ Connolly, who has also had surgery for prostate cancer, had a sell-out tour of the UK last year and said performing had helped him cope with the symptoms of Parkinson’s. He said at the time: ‘It’s a miracle. I think science should study it. I’ve gone on stage sick and come off better.’
But in today’s interview he says he was recently put on medication which made his shaking worse.
‘There’s a whole lot of shaking going on,’ he joked. ‘It’s kind of weird, this instability. The only time it stops is when I’m in bed and then I can’t roll over.’
Asked directly if he would ever walk on stage again, he replied: ‘Aye well… I’ll have to see how this medicine works out.’