William Shatner has joked that people should come to see his new show in case he "dies on stage".

The 80-year-old actor's one-man show Shatner's World recently opened on Broadway in New York City. It sees him discussing various points in his life and lasts around 100 minutes.

William knows many think he is too old to be embarking on such a display, so he's come up with a way to calm their fears.

"I was joking with somebody saying that people should come to the theatre to see me because I may die on stage," he laughed. "I'm at the age where people are dying. So they can say that maybe he'll die and we'll see him dying."

Shatner's World is loosely based on an autobiography the actor penned in 2008. Although he was sure the show would go down well with fans while he prepared for the show, he admitted feeling anxious during rehearsals.

"Every time you're in something, you wonder if it's any good," he told Los Angeles Times. "Until it's in front of the public, and they'll tell you. So that moment of trepidation is with you all of the time It never goes away."