Paul O'Grady resting from TV show after health scare

Paul O'Grady's chat show will be fronted by guest hosts this week after he suffered a health scare.

The 58-year-old is expected to leave hospital on Wednesday to rest at his Kent home for a number of days.

Monday's show was presented by singer Michael Ball, while TV presenter Stephen Mulhern was due to host Tuesday's edition.

O'Grady, who is expected to return to work after a few days' rest, has suffered coronary problems previously.

He has had two heart attacks in 2002 and 2006 and the second resulted in a stay in intensive care for the TV and radio presenter, comic and actor.

He said on Tuesday: "I am feeling much better - I would like to thank all the nursing staff for their kindness and everyone who has texted or phoned in wishing me well."

A statement from his manager added that routine tests had shown that "all is fine" after he felt unwell on Monday afternoon, and did not confirm reports that he had suffered an angina attack.

Guest hosts for his chat show have been booked for the remainder of the week only, and include comic Jo Brand and presenter Vernon Kay.

The broadcaster's regular Sunday show on BBC Radio 2 will go ahead as planned because it was pre-recorded in advance.

A spokeswoman for the station said: "Paul occasionally pre-records his show if he has a prior weekend commitment, and as regular listeners to his show know, it can sometimes take him hours to get into town from deepest Kent! He recorded this Sunday's show last weekend."

She added that O'Grady asked that they proceed with the airing of the show, which he has hosted since April 2009.

O'Grady began his chat show career on ITV in 2004, switching to Channel 4 after three series. The weekday serial came to an end in 2009 but was recently revived on its original home of ITV.

The popular entertainer, who originally shot to fame performing as his drag alter ego Lily Savage, also branched into fronting a string of documentary programmes including Paul O'Grady's Working Britain about the history of the working class, and For The Love of Dogs.

Recently, the star appeared in three episodes of medical drama Holby City, playing terminal cancer patient Tim Connor. He has been a long-standing fan of the BBC programme.