Mike Leigh has to walk with a cane after being diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease

In an interview with The Times newspaper, he explained: "It affects the muscles of the legs and the hands. So ... it's boring. I have to use a stick and when I stand up two people will help me, and all that kind of s***. Apart from that I'm fine."

Leigh went on to admit he's been mulling over the subject of his own mortality since his diagnosis as well as the death of his longtime cinematographer Dick Pope in October.

He added: "It's hard to even begin to come to terms with it [Dick's death] ... Dick and I had a real, special rapport, shared taste, sense of humour, aesthetic and way of working."

Leigh added of his own issues: "I mean, I'm 81. I've just made a will and I'm not well. Thoughts were already on the go on that subject."

The director's latest movie 'Hard Truths' is among the current awards season favourites after bagging a number of prizes including a best actress honour at the British Independent Film Awards for its star Michele Austin, who is tipped to land an Oscar nod when the Academy Award nominations are announced later this month.

However, Leigh has been forced to defend his decision to direct a project featuring an almost entirely Black cast.

He added to The Times: "It's b*******. First of all, it's offensive and racist. I've got absolutely no time for it at all.

"I've looked at all corners of society. I did a play about Greek Australians ['Greek Tragedy'], a film in Northern Ireland ['Four Days in July'], plus three films set among a very remote people called 19th-century human beings ['Peterloo', 'Topsy-Turvy' and 'Mr Turner' ].

"The fear of 'Am I allowed to tell this story?' - it's shocking. It has no justification whatsoever."