Billy Connolly says he is ‘finished with stand-up’ because of Parkinson’s diagnosis

‘It was lovely being good at it,’ comedian said

Sir Billy Connolly has said he is “finished with stand-up” because of his Parkinson’s diagnosis.

The 77-year-old comedian, who retired from performing in 2018, previously said he hoped to return to the stage in some form.

However, speaking to Sky News at the launch of his new art collection Born On A Rainy Day, he said: ”I’m finished with stand-up – it was lovely and it was lovely being good at it.

“It was the first thing I was ever good at,” he continued.

Connolly has been battling ill health since announcing he was being treated for symptoms of Parkinson’s disease back in 2013.

The Glaswegian – who is nicknamed ‘The Big Yin’ – refused to shy away from his illness, instead incorporating it into his stand-up routines in typical straight-talking fashion.

Connolly, who floated as a folk musician in the late 1960s, began his stand-up career in the 1970s. He was knighted in 2017.

Speaking about his diagnosis, he added: “I’m always being asked to go to Parkinson’s things and spend time with Parkinson’s people, having lunch or something like that. And I don’t approve of it.”