Sir Billy Connolly has responded to claims that he is unable to recognise old friends.

The Glasgow-born comedian is said to have joked he would "recognise Parky if he was standing behind me - in a diving suit" in a direct response to comments made by the TV host, according to reports.

Sir Billy's wife branded Parkinson a 'daft old fart' over claims the pair had an 'awkward dinner' because the Scotsman didn't know who he was.

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Pamela Stephenson Connolly, dismissed Sir Michael Parkinson's comments and insisted the 75-year-old comic was “doing great.”

The TV host said Billy has difficulty recognising his oldest friends - five years after going public with his Parkinson's disease diagnosis.

Sir Parkinson said the Glasgow-born comedian struggled to remember who the TV host was in a "sad and awkward" moment over dinner recently.

However, the claims have been disputed by Sir Billy's wife on social media.

She wrote: "Mike Parkinson is a daft old fart - doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Billy’s doing great and still funny as hell."

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Production company Indigo Television, who have made documentaries with Connolly and are currently working with him on a series where he tours around Scotland, backed up her statement.

According to The Scottish Sun, they said: “We have been busy filming with Billy over the summer and can report happily that he’s on top form – as sharp and hilarious as ever.

“We were speaking with his wife Pamela Stephenson only today and she is pretty sure that Billy has no more problem recognising old friends than anyone else of his age who has lived abroad for years.”

Speaking on ITV’s Saturday Morning with James Martin, Parkinson said: “The sadness of Billy now is that wonderful brain is dulled.

“I saw him recently – he’s now living in America – and it was very sad, because I was presenting him with a prize at an award ceremony.

"We had an awkward dinner together, because I wasn’t quite sure if he knew who I was or not.”

He added: “To know someone as long as I knew and loved Billy it was an awful thing to contemplate, that that had been taken from him in a sense.”

The two stars are said to be 'good friends' with Sir Billy Connolly appearing on the chat show 15 times.