Even though just last year he shot down rumours that he was slowing down, Billy Connolly now appears to be confirming that he's well and truly done with stand-up comedy.
In an interview with Sky News, Connolly explained that his "brain works differently" due to his Parkinson's diagnosis, and added that "you need a good brain for comedy." Previously, Connolly had said that he had retired from live performances, but didn't stop short of saying he was done with stand-up entirely. Indeed, rumours persisted that he would do a farewell tour in 2018, but that proved not to be.
Billy Connolly went public with his Parkinson's diagnosis in 2013, but has said that he refuses to let the disease define him. "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. I don't think you should let Parkinson's define you and all your pals be Parkinson's people. I don't think it's particularly good for you. So I don't do it."
With regards to stand-up, however, the Scottish comedy legend says he's done with it once and for all. "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," Connolly told Sky News. In the meantime, the comedian has turned his hand to art, and has launched a new collection of works entitled 'Born On A Rainy Day'.
"I hope little schoolboys and school leavers are watching me doing these things and see, you can do what you like. You can write plays. You can write songs. You can be funny on stage and play the banjo. You can do drawings. Nobody came along with a magic wand and said, you're allowed to do that now. You just have to do it and stretch yourself."
