SIR Billy Connolly has confirmed his stand-up career is over because Parkinson’s "has made my brain work differently".
The comedian had given hope to fans last year that he could return to live shows, having last performed in 2015.
But the 77-year-old Scot has now confirmed his days on stage are over.
“I’m finished with stand-up,” he told Sky News. “It was lovely and it was lovely being good at it. It was the first thing I was ever good at.”
He added: “The Parkinson’s has made my brain work differently and you need a good brain for comedy. Everything you say should have five or six alternatives behind it.”
The comedian, who toured the world until he was diagnosed with the neurological condition in 2013, also hit out at Boris Johnson – who he branded a “big, silly toff”.
“Fewer people should listen to politicians,” Connolly said. “They should listen to comedians and poets, they’re telling the truth.”
Pressed on which politicians people ignore, the Scot replied: “Boris [Johnson]. Anybody who listens to Boris needs professional help.
“He's a big, silly toff. Britain’s been listening to big, silly toffs for years. It’s time they listened to themselves and got on with it.”
READ MORE: WATCH: Billy Connolly says he could support Scottish independence
Glaswegian Connolly was famous for his energetic presence on stage. But he was diagnosed with Parkinson's while undergoing surgery for early-stage prostate cancer in 2013.
Symptoms of Parkinson's disease include decreased mobility and difficulty speaking, leaving him unable to perform as he had in his pomp.
But he refuses to let the condition define him.
He said: "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."
Connolly was a welder in his home city before becoming a globally renowned comedian.
He was voted the UK's most influential stand-up comedian of all time in 2012.
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