Omar Sharif diagnosed with Alzheimer's

The 83-year-old star's condition was confirmed by his agent

Omar Sharif pictured in 2012 at the Lawrence Of Arabia Restoration Screening (Getty Images)

The actor Omar Sharif, best known for his roles in Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia, has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

The 83-year-old Egyptian-born star’s only son told Spanish newspaper El Mundo that Sharif, who won two Golden Globes during his career, had Alzheimer’s and found it difficult to remember his greatest roles.

Sharif’s condition was also confirmed by his agent Steve Kenis earlier today, although no further details on the actor’s illness have been released.

In the El Mundo interview, Sharif’s son Tarek El-Sharif said: “It's difficult to determine what stage it's at,” adding: “It's obvious he'll never improve and it will get worse."

El-Sharif told the newspaper that although his father still remembers “he’s a famous actor” he had difficulty remembering specifics.

"He remembers, for example, that it was Doctor Zhivago but he's forgotten when it was filmed.

"He can talk about the film but he forgets its name or he calls it something else instead like Lawrence of Arabia," he added.

Sharif in 1974 (Getty)

Sharif, who lives in Cairo, came to international attention in 1962 with his role in Lawrence of Arabia alongside Peter O’Toole, and the pair remained friends until O’Toole’s death in 2013.

The actor went on to star in Doctor Zhivago (1965) and Funny Girl (1968) with Barbara Streisand. His appearance with Streisand - they share an onscreen kiss - caused outrage coming as it was shortly after the Arab-Israeli Six Day War.

Additional reporting by Associated Press