Billy: I’m getting worse
Parkinson’s is making TV appearances tough, admits Big Yin
‘I will have to see how bad it gets’
HE has been a mainstay on TV screens in the UK for decades.
But Sir Billy Connolly has said the medical challenges he faces while filming for television are ‘getting worse’.
The comedian was speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, which has honoured him with a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the industry.
Sir Billy, 78, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013 and retired from live performances five years later, but has continued to record television programmes.
During an interview with his wife, Dr Pamela Stephenson Connolly, he explained that making television programmes now was a ‘challenge’. He said: ‘The challenges lately have been medical. They are getting worse... I will have to weigh it up and see how bad it gets. Play it by ear.’
Sir Billy, who performed live stand-up for 50 years, said that on his last tour he used to say to the audience: ‘Good evening symptom spotters. I would show them symptoms and it would work really well.’
He said the audience for the online event will have ‘noticed I have been holding my left hand as this has been going on’ as it had started to involuntarily shake. ‘It’s started to jump around,’ he added.
Former shipyard worker Sir Billy said he was ‘proud and happy’ to be receiving the lifetime achievement award.
He is said to be writing the complete story of his eventful life that propelled him from being a welder on the Clyde docks, via a stint as a folk singer, to become one of the world’s best-loved comics.
During the interview the comedian, affectionately known as The Big Yin, also discussed his first appearance on Sir Michael Parkinson’s talk show which helped to make his name. He said it was a ‘very weird’ experience.
‘I had done wee talk shows in Scotland and they were good... but there wasn’t the big time thing that Parkinson had,’ he said.
Sir Billy also discussed receiving a warm welcome back to Glasgow when he was applauded by members of the public after he landed at the city’s airport following his appearance on the show. ‘It’s a thing the Scots have got about accents,’ he said.
‘You can be as popular as you like but if you don’t have a Scottish accent when you’re doing it, it’s different.
‘They loved the fact I went on with my Scottish accent and got famous. They took it personally and they all applauded and it was lovely.’ The discussion took place on the first day of the Edinburgh TV Festival, which runs until Thursday.
Sir Billy was first alerted to the fact he had Parkinson’s in 2013 when an Australian doctor approached him in a hotel lobby.
Orthopaedic surgeon Gary Fettke had gone to ask for an autograph. But after watching the way Sir Billy was walking, he decided to tell him that he was showing early signs of Parkinson’s. He said Sir Billy walked like someone who had ‘had a few drinks’.
The comedian later spoke about the meeting, recalling: ‘The guy... 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”.
‘Then they did blood tests and various other little bits and pieces and told me I had it.’