‘Benidorm’ star Tim Healy died and had to be resuscitated when he was struck down with a mystery illness while filming the sitcom last year.
The show’s writer Darren Litten has told of how it was touch and go when the actor was rushed to hospital with chest pains.
Tim, who plays Lesley on the show, spent a month intensive care and was also in a coma.
Speaking to Cool FM Spain (via The Sun) about Tim’s health scare, Darren said: “They operated on Tim and it didn’t go well at all.
“He died. He flat lined. They had to resuscitate him. He was in intensive care for a month.”
As a result of Tim’s illness, he had to be written out of the rest of the series, which is currently airing on ITV.
“He was incredibly unwell. We had shot about three episodes with Tim,” he said.
“I got a phone call from Tim’s wife, Joan, at the hotel and she said he was unwell, doubled up in pain and can’t move.
“I jumped into my car and went down there. He was in a pretty bad way.”
Tim, who was previously married to Denise Welch, previously spoke of how his son’s music had helped him awake from his coma.
Speaking about The 1975’s tracks and hearing his son Matt, he told The Mirror last year: “She said that while I was in a coma she kept playing my son’s music to me, she had his album on a loop.
‘Benidorm’ continues on Wednesday (22 March) at 9pm on ITV.