Sir Billy Connolly’s balance is continuing to deteriorate due to Parkinson’s disease, leading to a “couple of serious falls,” according to his wife, Pamela Stephenson. The loss of balance has become the “most significant” symptom suffered by the 80-year-old Scottish comedian, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2013. In recent years, Sir Billy has noticed that the issue has become a more persistent problem despite previous symptoms coming and going. “For some reason, I thought it would go away because a lot of the symptoms have come and gone away,” he said.
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that leads to the brain’s parts becoming progressively damaged over many years. Sir Billy retired from live performances five years after his 2013 diagnosis of Parkinson’s, another blow after being diagnosed with prostate cancer on the same day, which he later received the all clear on. In a 2023 interview with The Guardian, Sir Billy and Stephenson discussed the impact of the disease on their lives, with Stephenson noting that the loss of balance had caused some “serious falls.”
The couple also revealed that their relationship had changed since the diagnosis, with Stephenson now being Sir Billy’s carer and dressing him in the morning. Sir Billy also spoke of how Parkinson’s had “stopped me doing things” and of feeling as if he was “being encroached upon by the cruel disease.” Despite previously being known for his love of travel and having made various travel documentaries during his career, Sir Billy revealed that he had enjoyed being homebound during the Covid-19 pandemic. The couple currently reside in Florida Keys, where they have lived together for over 30 years. Sir Billy was made a knight in 2017 for his contributions to charity and entertainment over his five-decade career.
In short, Scottish comedian Sir Billy Connolly is continuing to suffer from deteriorating balance due to Parkinson’s disease. In a recent interview with The Guardian, Sir Billy and his wife Pamela Stephenson discussed how the disease had impacted their lives, with Stephenson noting that she had witnessed multiple “serious falls.” Sir Billy spoke about feeling as though he was being limited by his condition, which caused him to retire from live performances five years after his diagnosis. Despite the difficulties, Sir Billy revealed that he had enjoyed his time staying home during the Covid-19 lockdowns and was grateful to be spending time with his dogs in their tropical paradise home in Florida Keys. Sir Billy was knighted in 2017 for his contributions to charity and entertainment
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