William Shatner's emotional announcement after fearing he 'doesn't have long left'

Star Trek legend William Shatner sombrely revealed that he "doesn't have long left to live" and made arrangements to “reach out to his grandchildren” after his death. The actor, who turns 94 today (March 22), made the confession ahead of the release of his 2023 documentary, You Can Call Me Bill.

William admitted: "I've turned down a lot of offers to do documentaries before. But I don't have long to live. Whether I keel over as I'm speaking to you or 10 years from now, my time is limited, so that's very much a factor. I've got grandchildren. This documentary is a way of reaching out after I die,” he added to Variety.

The Captain Kirk star is a father to three daughters: Leslie, 66, Lisabeth, 63, and Melanie, 60. He is also a grandfather to five.

This heartrending revelation follows William’s reconciliation with his ex-wife, Elizabeth Martin, three years after their separation. The actor married Martin, a 66-year-old horse trainer, in 2001; she was his fourth wife.

In 2019, William filed for divorce, handing his spouse $2 million in a settlement that was finalised the following year. Despite the split, he has spoken of her as a key source of his “zest for life”.

He told the Mirror: "My wife... she is the zest of life. She brings the flavour." During their conversation, the couple pondered over how best to characterise Elizabeth as a "spice". William suggested: "Mustard?" only to be playfully corrected by Elizabeth who offered: "Cinnamon."

In an earlier interview, when asked about his status as a living legend in both his professional and personal life, he remarked: "Well, I think getting out of bed every morning and breathing... I am like, wow, I am a legend, I am breathing and I am still alive."

Back in 2021, at age 90, William ascended to new heights as the oldest person to enter space aboard Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin craft. However, the Hollywood icon will always be most celebrated for his role as Captain James Kirk since his inaugural appearance in 1966, culminating in his final performance in the acclaimed series in 1994.

His acting repertoire extends to Boston Legal, Columbo, the Miss Congeniality franchise, and Mission: Impossible.