Entertainment
Sir Billy Connolly says health issues ‘are getting worse’ as he receives lifetime achievement award at Edinburgh TV Festival
In an interview with his wife, Sir Billy spoke of challenges (Picture: Getty/PA)
Sir Billy Connolly has said the medical challenges he faces while filming for television are ‘getting worse’.
Speaking during a session at the Edinburgh TV Festival, which is honouring him with a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the industry, the legendary comedian gave insight into the difficulties he faces with Parkinson’s disease.
Sir Billy, 78, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2013 and retired from live performances five years later, but he has continued to record programmes for television.
During an interview with his wife Dr Pamela Stephenson Connolly, conducted from their Florida home, he said making television programmes now is a ‘challenge’.
In his usual upbeat and forthright way, Sir Billy began by answering a question on id he had any new challenges at this stage in his life by joking that he never prepares so ‘everything is a new challenge’.
He explained: ‘Not really, but the way I think everything is a new challenge. I hardly prepare, so I turn up unprepared and everything is a new challenge.
Sir Billy was interviewed by his wife, Dr Pamela Stephenson Connolly (Picture: Karwai Tang/Getty Images)
‘It keeps your eyes open, it is good fun.’
He then admitted that his challenges lately though ‘have been medical’.
‘They are getting worse,’ he shared. ‘I will have to weigh it up and see how bad it gets. Play it by ear.’
He also revealed that his symptoms tended to present challenges ‘when I least expect it’, although it wasn’t ‘much of a problem’.
The star was awarded the festival’s prestigious honour for his contribution to the industry since the 1960s.
Sir Billy’s career spans 50 years (Picture: Steve Rapport/Photoshot/Getty Images)
As well as his fabled appearances on TV, including his star-making turn on chat show Parkinson in 1975, he has been the recipient of Bafta Awards, as well as the Freedom of the City of Glasgow and his Knighthood for Services to Entertainment and Charity.
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He is also a renowned actor in films such as The Hobbit and 1997’s Mrs. Brown, the latter of which snagged him a Bafta Award nomination for leading actor, as well as the voice of a Disney character in 1995’s Pocahontas.
Author Neil Gaiman, Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hollywood star Whoopi Goldberg and activist Greta Thunberg will also be making appearances at the Edinburgh TV Festival, where screenwriter Jack Thorne will deliver the MacTaggart lecture.
The Edinburgh TV festival runs until August 26.
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