Billy Connolly insists staying on tour alleviates symptoms of Parkinson's disease

• MAY 2016 BY STUART MACDONALD 

The Big Yin said that spending weeks on the road makes him feel healthier and allows him to forget about the illness

The comedian admitted he starts to feel unwell after coming off stage at the end of a run of shows

Billy Connolly has told how continuing to tour helps alleviate the symptoms of his Parkinson's disease . 

The comedian revealed that spending weeks on the road makes him feel healthy and happy and allows him to forget about the illness. 

However, he said that when he comes off stage at the end of a run of performances he starts to feel unwell again.

He was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2013 just weeks before he had successful surgery for prostate cancer.

The Glaswegian has admitted he now struggles to get out of bed some days because he is in so much pain and is unable to play his beloved banjo.

Connolly, 73, has urged scientists to study the effect continuing to perform has on sufferers of the degenerative condition.

Connolly recently revealed he's had to stop playing the banjo

n an interview in the US, he said: "It's a miracle. I think science should study it. I've gone on stage sick and come off better.

"And then the minute it's finished, you get sick as if your illnesses are all waiting to happen.

"The Parkinson's just rolls along singing a song. So I keep trying to find lighter things to say about it, because they notice I've got it. I walk differently than I used to and I don't move as much onstage as I used to.

"I just point out the darker side of it, like banning Jerry Lee Lewis from the house 'cause he sings 'Whole Lotta Shakin'."

Connolly admitted that he had considered quitting stand-up when he was first diagnosed but quickly dismissed the idea.

He added: "I wasn't quite sure about what to do. This kind of decision had never been part of my life before.

"It just hit me like a bombshell, and I thought maybe I should quit. But what am I going to do, look out the window?"

Last month, Connolly admitted he has had suicidal thoughts since being diagnosed with Parkinson's.

He has taken to meditating to relieve bouts of depression and said he is still hopeful a cure can be found for the illness.

Asked whether he had considered "checking out" on his own terms, he said: "Yeah sometimes I give it a bit of thought when I'm in bed. I think 'Well this is forever, this isn't going to get better, it's going to get worse'.

"But then I try and change my mind and I try and meditate and move away from it sideways.

"The guy who told me I had it said to me 'You realise it's incurable?' I thought he could have said 'We have yet to find a cure' or something like that to put a bit of light at the end of the tunnel."

Despite his health troubles, Connolly is currently performing stand-up shows in America. He plays in Washington DC on Friday and Boston next week.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/billy-connolly-insists-staying-tour-7956654