IMELDA STAUNTON - MATHEW HORNE TO RETURN TO WEST END STAGE AFTER VIRUS

MATHEW HORNE TO RETURN TO WEST END STAGE AFTER VIRUS

Gavin and Stacey star Mathew Horne is to return to the London production of Entertaining Mr Sloane after collapsing on stage on Thursday.

The 30-year-old was taken ill during a matinee on Thursday April 2nd and missed four performances due to a virus.

His co-star Imelda Staunton - who had apologised to the audience at the Trafalgar Studios for the interruption to the performance - also suffered from the illness and withdrew from the show.

A spokeswoman for the Trafalgar Studios has now confirmed Horne and Staunton will return for the final week of the Joe Orton play, which closes on Saturday April 11th.

Horne said he was delighted to confirm he was "feeling much better".

"I feel terrible for letting audience members down last week when I was ill, and I am so grateful for the wonderful letters of well wishes from everyone," he added.

"We have all had an amazing time working on 'Sloane' since January and I am just glad to be back in full health for the final week of this tremendous production."

Horne had been in the middle of a scene with co-star Simon Paisley Day when he collapsed, with Paisley Day immediately calling for any doctors within the audience to come forward.

Paramedics arrived some ten minutes later and Horne was treated onstage before the audience were asked to leave the West End venue.

His spokesman later said Horne was taken to hospital for treatment and later released. The actor's collapse was due to exhaustion, his spokesman added, having worked non-stop on the play and promotional duties for his BBC3 sketch show for three months.