Billy Connolly says he thinks about death ‘every day’ after Parkinson’s diagnosis

‘It’s kinda painful,’ he said. ‘I have to behave in a certain way so my children don’t think I’m a dead loss’

Sir Billy Connolly has said he thinks about death every day after his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2013.

The comedian, who eventually retired from stand-up comedy due to the condition, said: “I think about death a lot. Not an excessive amount. I think about it every day.”

He told The Sun: “I’ve seen people die and it’s OK. It’s not painful. You just go away. You exhale and it’s gone. It’s nothing to be frightened of. It’s just the next step.”

The comic, 79, added: “Parkinson’s has taken a lot from me. I can’t play the banjo any more. It’s just a noise. I can’t yodel any more – I used to like yodelling. I can’t smoke cigars.

“As it goes along it’s taken more and more of what I like. And it’s kinda painful. I have to behave in a certain way so my children don’t think I’m a dead loss. I want them to think, ‘He does well with what he’s got.’”

Earlier this month, Connolly disclosed the unusual tactic he has adopted to help keep his Parkinson’s under control: hypnotism.

Billy Connolly (ITV)

The comedian said he has learned to hypnotise his hand to stop it shaking, which is a symptom of the condition.

“I glare at it and it kinda quivers,” he said. “I just stare at it, and eventually it stops. It’s quite a good trick. We love it.”