South African comedy icon Leon Schuster has opened up about his emotional struggles with loneliness and depression in a new KykNET documentary titled Schuster.
Known for bringing laughter to millions through classics like You Must Be Joking, Oh Schucks, I’m Gatvol, and Mr. Bones, the 74-year-old funnyman revealed that life off-camera has not been easy.
In the candid feature, Schuster spoke openly about his mental health and how he copes with solitude in his later years.
“On Sunday evenings when the sun goes down, I get depressed,” he said. “That’s why I try to have my kids visit me on Sundays — we have a braai that continues until I go to bed. You look for company; you don’t want to be alone. If no one visits me, I sit on my stoep and think about life, which is not a good thing. One should be busy.”
Schuster also confessed that his biggest fear is growing old alone, a sentiment that resonates with many elderly South Africans facing similar emotional battles.
Over the years, the comedian has endured several health challenges, including chronic back pain and periods of immobility, which have further isolated him from the public eye.
Once married to Lalie Schuster, with whom he shares four children — Leande, Ernest, Lelani, and Rachelle — the comedian now spends much of his time surrounded by his grandchildren.
In his later years, Schuster was linked to younger partners, including Amanda Coetzee, a real estate agent 40 years his junior. The pair’s relationship ended in 2021.
Despite the pain and solitude, Schuster continues to connect with fans through his humour, embodying the bittersweet reality of a man who made a nation laugh — while silently wrestling with his own sorrow.
