Get Well Russell Watson!

[Pip Madeley]

Singer Russell Watson is critically ill in hospital with a brain tumour. Watson was due to undergo surgery to remove the tumour at 0730 GMT at the Alexandra private hospital in Cheshire.

The singer, 40, was recording on Thursday when he was taken ill. He had a benign brain tumour removed a year ago after falling ill in the US. The Salford-born tenor, who used to be a factory worker before he turned to singing, has sold more than four million albums worldwide.

A spokeswoman for the hospital in Cheadle confirmed that Watson was admitted on Wednesday afternoon. "Russell Watson is at the Alexandra Hospital. He came in yesterday afternoon. No other information can be given at this time." She said the hospital was used to doing "complex surgery".

Watson's agent, Richard Thompson, described the tumour as "major". "Our thoughts are with Russell and his family," he added. The singer had an emergency operation to remove a benign brain tumour in September 2006. The operation to remove the tumour, called a pituitary adenoma, took place at St George's Hospital in south London.

He recovered but was forced to cancel television appearances and postpone a UK tour. His latest album, Outside In, is due for release on 26 November. Watson found fame after the chairman of Manchester United invited him to sing Nessun Dorma ahead of the football team's last match of the season in 1999. Watson got a standing ovation and later landed a recording contract.

I hope he's alright, his music may not be my cup of tea, but he's a very talented singer...

[Si Hunt]

He's not my cup of tea but I hope he gets better soon.

A boy who shall be nameless will be holding a vigil.

Si.

[Alex]

Blimey, that's awful news, my Mum's a massive fan of his (she admitted recently that he's the first person she's fancied for about 20 years!), and would be gutted if anything happened to him, so I do hope he pulls through.

[P-Bal]

Poor Russell!

[davethesailor]

I have worked with him a few times. He is a lovely man. I'm sure he will pull through.

xx

[Captain Tancredi]

I was only thinking the other day how much I like the Enterprise theme- as a song as much as opening titles.

[Stephen Morgan]

Wishing Russell Watson well, hope he pulls through.

I was only thinking the other day how much I like the Enterprise theme- as a song as much as opening titles.

The song Faith of the Heart was originally recorded by Rod Stewart in 1998 for the movie Patch Adams, a good enough version but Watson made the song his own for the Enterprise theme tune.

[Pip Madeley]

Well the good news is that he's out of intensive care and progressing well:

Michael Stroud from the Alexandra Hospital said it is "too early to say" what the recovery period will involve. Once again on behalf of Russell we would like to thank fans for the overwhelming support and constant stream of gifts and messages," Stroud said. Several family members, including his daughters Hannah, eight, and Rebecca, 12, visited him over the weekend.

[Alex]

Aw, that is good news. I was only reading the other day about how he'd had a tumour last year, I didn't realise this was the second time he's had to have such a serious operation, so I really hope they've managed to remove it all now and that it doesn't recur again.