‘I grew up in such doubt of myself’: Sir Billy Connolly, 79, admits he’s never had ‘I’ve made it’ moment due to traumatic childhood which saw him sexually abused by his father and beaten by his aunt
- The stand-up performer, 79, said he doubted himself because of his ‘family situation’ during his childhood in Glasgow
- He previously revealed he had been sexually abused by his late father William as a boy, who ‘interfered with him’ for five years from the age of ten
- The actor said: ‘I’ve never considered myself having made it. You’re never quite there. It’s like [being] rich. I grew up in such doubt of myself with my family situation. It never really goes away’
- Billy was brought up by the alcoholic RAF technician, who died in 1989, and aunts after his mother walked out on her family when he was three.
- The BAFTA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient had therapy in an attempt to get over his experiences and wrestled with his conscience over bringing them out into the open at the age of 59
- For confidential support for adults who suffered any type of abuse in childhood call NAPAC on 0808 801 0331, free from landlines and mobiles, or click here for details
Sir Billy Connolly has admitted he has never had an ‘I’ve made it’ moment, despite enjoying a career in comedy lasting nearly 60 years.
The stand-up performer, 79, who believes nobody is ever ‘quite there’, said he doubted himself because of his ‘family situation’ during his childhood in Glasgow.
He previously revealed he had been sexually abused by his late father William as a boy, who ‘interfered with him’ for five years from the age of ten.
Wow! Sir Billy Connolly has admitted he has never had an ‘I’ve made it’ moment, despite enjoying a career in comedy lasting nearly 60 years (pictured in 2016)
The actor told The Mirror: ‘I’ve never considered myself having made it. You’re never quite there. It’s like [being] rich. I grew up in such doubt of myself with my family situation. It never really goes away.’
Billy was brought up by the alcoholic RAF technician, who died in 1989, and aunts after his mother Mary walked out on her family when he was three.
He has previously detailed being beaten by his aunt Mona and being the victim of sadistic school teachers.
The BAFTA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient had therapy in an attempt to get over his experiences and wrestled with his conscience over bringing them out into the open at the age of 59.
Tragic: He previously revealed he had been sexually abused by his late father William as a boy, who ‘interfered with him’ for five years from the age of ten (pictured in the 1940s)
Billy went on to tell the publication: ‘Making it is a myth. Fame is a kind of myth, too. When you speak to people who have fame it never struck them as what they imagined it to be.’
He went on to admit that, despite not having a defining mark, he’s had ‘lot’s of moments like walking on stage at the [Royal] Albert Hall’, which was ‘extraordinary’.
It comes after Billy revealed he has learned to ‘hypnotise’ his hand into becoming still when he begins shaking due to his Parkinson’s disease.
Humble: The stand-up performer, 79, who believes nobody is ever ‘quite there’, said he doubted himself because of his ‘family situation’ during his childhood in Glasgow (pictured in 1985)
The veteran comedian was diagnosed with the disease in 2013 before retiring from live performances five years later and has since been open and honest about the limitations he faces.
In his new interview with Radio Times, he explained that the progression of the disease means he is unable to write letters any more, however he proudly revealed that he is using ‘hypnosis’ to control his hands.
Billy told the publication: ‘I’ve learnt to hypnotise my hand. I glare at it and it kinda quivers. I just stare at it, and eventually it stops. It’s quite a good trick. We love it.’
Reflecting on his condition, he added: ‘I’ve never tried to cover up the illness. I’m p**sed off with it. It won’t go away. People are kinda chained to it. But I try to be cheery.’
He admitted that the thing that ‘cheeses him off most’ is that he can no longer write. He explained how he used to love penning letters but now his writing is illegible.
The artist owns a collection of fountain pens and ink to go with them but is no longer able to use them. Billy added that he confronts condition by saying: ‘Bugger off, I’m going to get on with my life.’
For confidential support for adults who suffered any type of abuse in childhood call NAPAC on 0808 801 0331, free from landlines and mobiles, or click here for details.
Couple: Billy was brought up by the alcoholic RAF technician, who died in 1989, and aunts after his mother Mary (pictured) walked out on her family when he was three
WHAT IS PARKINSON’S? THE INCURABLE DISEASE THAT STRUCK BOXER MUHAMMAD ALI
Parkinson’s disease affects one in 500 people, including about one million Americans.
It causes muscle stiffness, slowness of movement, tremors, sleep disturbance, chronic fatigue, an impaired quality of life and can lead to severe disability.
It is a progressive neurological condition that destroys cells in the part of the brain that controls movement.
Sufferers are known to have diminished supplies of dopamine because nerve cells that make it have died.
There is currently no cure and no way of stopping the progression of the disease, but hundreds of scientific trials are underway to try and change that.
The disease claimed the life of boxing legend Muhammad Ali in 2016.
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