Still Open All Hours star Tim Healy flown to UK for treatment after 'fighting for his life'

Mr Healy, 64, who has filmed two series of cornershop sitcom Still Open All Hours in Doncaster and is due to begin filming a third in September, was flown to Manchester from Spain on Saturday after his condition improved enough to allow him to travel, according to the Daily Mirror.

The newspaper reported that Healy was taken ill almost a month ago and had been fighting for his life.

An ITV spokesman said the star was "feeling much better" and that filming of the show had been "adjusted to accommodate Tim's absence".

Healy, who was born in Newcastle and found fame in the 1980s' show Auf Wiedersehen Pet, has played the cross-dressing character Les/Lesley in Benidorm since 2010.

He has also starred alongside Sir David Jason in two series of Still Open All Hours, the cornershop comedy which is filmed at a converted hairdressing salon in Balby.

Mr Healy plays Gastric in the comedy, a revamped version of the 70s classic Open All Hours, with outdoor scenes for both series being shot at the Beautique salon on the corner of Lister Avenue and Scarth Avenue.

Crews are set to return to begin filming for a third series in the autumn. It is not clear at this stage whether Mr Healy will be involved in the filming.