This is awful news.
Billy Connolly can no longer recognise those closest to him, according his long-time friend TV presenter Michael Parkinson.
The legendary Scottish comedian is suffering from Parkinson’s disease, and it sadly appears to be taking its toll.
Parkinson appeared on Saturday Morning With James Martin, and said that he was recently in New York to present Connolly with an award, but his friend struggled to identify him.
“The sadness of Billy now is that his wonderful brain is dulled,” said Parkinson.
“I saw him recently – he’s now living in America – and it was very sad, because I was presenting him with a prize at an award ceremony.We had an awkward dinner together, because I wasn’t quite sure if he knew who I was or not. But we were walking out after the presentation to go down and have our picture taken, and he turned to me and put his hand on my shoulders.”
Parkinson adds: “To know someone as long as I knew and loved Billy… it was an awful thing to contemplate, that that had been taken from him in a sense. He was just a genius and the best thing that happened to me on the show.”
Despite being diagnosed with his illness, the comedian was still participating in Red Nose Day as he tried to help others.
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