BARRY HUMPHRIES - HUMPHRIES CANCELS U.S. TOUR AFTER SURGERY

LATEST: Australian funnyman BARRY HUMPHRIES has been ordered to take a six month break to recover from complications arising from appendix surgery. The 73-year-old comic - creator of Dame Edna Everage - underwent the operation in a Sydney hospital on 30 December (07) and has now been forced to scrap his forthcoming American tour on doctors orders. He has also cancelled a scheduled appearance at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival in March (08). Humphries is said to have suffered complications following the surgery which has left him in need of further operations. A spokesman for the Scottish festival says, "He's going in for (further) surgery this week. He has been told by doctors to take a six month rest."