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Billy Connolly has cancer surgery Billy Connolly has cancer surgery
(35 minutes later)
Comedian and actor Billy Connolly has had surgery for prostate cancer and has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.Comedian and actor Billy Connolly has had surgery for prostate cancer and has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
His spokeswoman said he was also having treatment for the initial stages of Parkinson's. "The operation was a total success, and Billy is fully recovered," his spokeswoman said.
More follows. The 70-year-old began working as a welder in the Glasgow shipyards but quit in the late 1960s to become a folk singer before turning to stand-up.
He has also starred in films including the Oscar-nominated Mrs Brown.
"Billy Connolly recently underwent minor surgery in America after being diagnosed with the very early stages of prostate cancer," his spokeswoman said.
"In addition, Billy has been assessed as having the initial symptoms of Parkinson's disease, for which he is receiving the appropriate treatment."
She added the star would continue to work throughout his treatment.
"Billy has been assured by experts that the findings will in no way inhibit or affect his ability to work, and he will start filming a TV series in the near future, as well as undertaking an extensive theatrical tour of New Zealand in the new year," she said.
Other recent films in which Connolly has starred include the Oscar-winning film Brave where he voiced the lead male character and Quartet, which saw him play a womanising former opera star.
In an interview with the BBC earlier this year, he said he wanted to stay young at heart: "Stay young. Me? I'm 37! I haven't changed my attitude to things since I was 37."
He was also a dwarf warrior in the second part of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit franchise and finished filming the third film at the end of last year.
In December 2012, Connolly was given the Bafta Scotland award for outstanding contribution.