Scottish funnyman Billy Connolly has told of his shock when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease on the same day.

The comedian/actor announced last September (13) that he had cancer surgery and was also undergoing treatment for the "initial symptoms" of Parkinson's disease.

He has now opened about his diagnosis, revealing that he had a "funny week" where he received hearing aids on the Monday, was prescribed heartburn medication on the Tuesday, and then was hit with the double diagnosis on the Wednesday.

He tells Britain's Radio Times magazine, "They told me on the phone. They said, 'Look, we've had a result and it's cancer.' I said, 'Oh nobody's ever said that to me before'.

"I remember I went through to the bedroom to answer the phone and (his wife) Pamela was behind me - I thought she was going to catch me. She sort of held me and I went, 'Oh Jesus'."

Despite the seriousness of his illness, Connolly never thought his life was in danger, adding, "The funny thing is, I never felt close to dying at any point. The first thing the doctor said to me was, 'You're not going to die'. It was news to me I might die."

In September (13), Connolly was declared cancer-free. He does not use medication to tackle his Parkinson's disease, saying, "The drugs can increase the signs, give you Parkinson's face expressions, sort of slack."

He helps to combat the symptoms by going to a gym four times a week, completing crossword puzzles and keeping a notebook of words and phrases he forgets.