Warning: This page contains a discussion of suicide, which some readers may find upsetting.

Sir Billy Connolly, a legendary comedian and actor, has opened out about Robin Williams’ tragic final words to him.

Connolly, 81, was close friends with the Mrs. Doubtfire and Night at the Museum actor, who sadly committed suicide in 2014 at the age of 63.

The two originally met on a Canadian chat show and stayed in touch over the years, with Williams making multiple journeys to Scotland.

Connolly has spoken about his connection with Williams and explained how their final discussion ‘felt like a farewell’ ahead of his participation in the new BBC series In My Own Words, which premieres tonight (2 September).

Connolly recalled his final interaction with Williams, stating that the actor had called him and asked if they could go to dinner together.

During this dinner, Williams would open up about their friendship, which Connolly now considers a ‘goodbye’ from his close buddy.

Recalling the experience, he explained: “He called me and said, ‘Let’s have dinner,’ and during the dinner, he said, ‘I love you,’ and I answered, Thank you very much. He said, “Do you believe me?” I replied, “Of course I do.” He said, “Believe me, I love you,” and I answered, “That’s wonderful.”

Connolly went on to say that he only recognized the significance of their final talk after learning that Williams had committed suicide the following weekend.

“I thought, ‘How weird, how strange for him to say that; it’s not like him.'” “He was dead over the weekend,” he said.

“I always felt like he was saying goodbye.” He was the finest ever.

“When he took his life, it was the saddest day.”

Connolly had stated that he and Williams had connected over their same health challenges before his death.

In 2013, Connolly received diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. Williams also felt he was in the early stages of the disease at the time, but an autopsy revealed the actor had been suffering from a condition known as Lewy body dementia.

“We used to talk a lot about Parkinson’s.” “He’d call me, and we’d swap notes. “He was an early onset, like mine,” Connolly told The Telegraph in 2014.

“Everybody’s concerned about it. “It’s like a mugger is following you around.”
BBC One will air Billy Connolly: In My Own Words on September 2 at 10.40 p.m.