'I suffer from a horrible illness': Billy Connolly's admission as he makes rare appearance to accept award

Legendary Scottish comic an actor Billy Connolly has made a rare appearance to accept an award.

The 82-year-old was at Key West Film Festival in Florida, USA.

Connolly has Parkinson's disease.

Actors Aidan Quinn and Steve Buscemi presented him with the award during the ceremony on Friday, according to an an Instagram video,

READ MORE: Black Friday deals have dropped early

The Brave star was awarded the Golden Key Award for Artistic Excellence for his work, which he accepted sitting down.

He later got up with the help of his cane, explaining to the crowd: "I walk with a stick because I suffer from a horrible illness.

"It's a joy to live among you and it's a joy to be among you tonight."

The former stand-up comedian lives in Florida with his wife Pamela Stephenson, after moving there from his native Scotland as doctors suggested a warmer climate would help with his Parkinson's disease.

READ MORE: Lily was six when she lost everything in the Black Saturday bushfires. It put her on track for global stardom

READ MORE: Stunning budget-friendly DIYs to decorate your home with for Christmas

READ MORE: Touching reason Sydney dad goes all out on Christmas decor

"I don't often do this kind of thing but it's smashing. I have to thank you for this award. I don't know what it is, it's a blue thing," he said.

"It's a joy and it will go beside my other prizes."

Buscemi also said a few words in honour of the actor, who he met and became friends with on the set of the 1998 film The Impostors.

"One day on set Billy off handedly mentioned, 'You know if you're ever in Scotland, Pamela and I have a castle, you should drop by'. We always had the best time. It's wonderful to be here to honour our friend, Billy Connolly."

Connolly previously opened up about his illness in an interview with The Mirror a year ago.

He told the newspaper he learned shortly after that diagnosis, on the same day he was told he had prostate cancer, to "confront" his illness.

"You just confront it and make decisions based on it," he told the publication.

"You just have to think 'Don't think you are being badly treated [in life] or you have the bad pick of the straws. You are one of millions'.

Parkinson's disease is an incurable neurological condition that affects the nervous system, causing symptoms such as tremors, slow movement, and stiff muscles.

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.