PRESS ASSOCIATION -- Upstairs, Downstairs star Jean Marsh has been forced to pull out of the start of the next series of the BBC drama after suffering a minor stroke.
The 77-year-old actress reprised her role as Rose Buck in the BBC One remake of the hit show last year and had signed up for further episodes.
In a statement, issued through the BBC, she said: "Unfortunately I won't be returning to Eaton Place quite as quickly as I had hoped.
"I am looking forward to spending time with Rose again, when I'm match-fit, and I miss the cast and crew tremendously."
Jean, who co-created the original drama with fellow actress Dame Eileen Atkins, is expected to return later in the series, to be screened next year, although she will not be in the first episode.
The actress appeared in the first run of the drama, between 1971 and 1975, which followed the lives of the well-heeled Bellamys of Belgravia and their servants below stairs.
She has said of returning to the role: "I said yes, partly because it was the BBC, because it's so chic, and partly because of timing... Enough time has gone by that it won't offend people to recreate it. People aren't necessarily going to say 'How could you do that, Jean?'."