Tim Healy written out of the new Benidorm series after illness

The 64-year-old reportedly had been fighting for his life when he fell ill almost a month ago during filming in Spain.

He was flown home to a hospital in Manchester on Saturday after his condition had stabilised enough for him to travel.

A spokesman for the ITV show said: "Tim won't be appearing in episodes whilst he rests and gets better."

His former wife, Loose Women star Denise Welch, is said to have flown to visit him in Spain during his illness, while his new wife Joan was at his side.

At the time, an ITV spokesman said: "Tim is feeling much better after his spell in hospital and all the Benidorm cast and crew wish him a healthy recovery in his own time.

"Filming schedules have been adjusted to accommodate Tim's absence on screen, the show is currently mid-way through filming the new series which will air (in) 2017."

Healy has played the cross-dressing character of Les/Lesley in Benidorm since 2010.

He found fame in Geordie comedy Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, and more recently has appeared as Gastric in Still Open All Hours, opposite Sir David Jason.