Benidorm’s Tim Healy seen in public for first time since mystery illness left him fighting for his life
The famous actor was left 'fighting for his life' after being struck down by a mystery illness in May
BENIDORM star Tim Healy has been pictured out and about for the first time since he was struck down with a mystery illness in May.
The 64-year-old was left "fighting for his life" after falling ill while filming the hit comedy in Spain.
The former Coronation Street star was pictured behind the wheel of his car on Thursday while out and about with a female companion.
Tim wore a a navy baseball cap, glasses and a black jacket and looked in good spirits as he puffed on his vapour pen.
Tim fell ill two months ago while filming series nine of the hit series Benidorm in Spain.
He spent three weeks in hospital there before being airlifted back to a unit in Manchester.
At the time it was confirmed that Tim's character - cross dresser Les/Lesley - would be written out of the upcoming series.
A spokesman for the ITV show said at the time: "Tim is feeling much better after his spell in hospital and all the Benidorm cast and crew wish him a healthy recovery in his own time.
"Tim won't be appearing in episodes whilst he rests and gets better.
"Filming schedules have been adjusted to accommodate Tim's absence on screen, the show is currently mid-way through filming the new series which will air [in] 2017.
It is believed that his ex-wife Denise Welch flew out to Spain to be by his bedside at the time as was his current wife Joan Anderton.
In response to concern from the public, Denise, 57, wrote on Twitter: “Thank you guys.
“Jo has been with Tim throughout. He is now safely back on home turf and on the mend & that’s all I’ll be saying xx”.
Denise divorced Tim, 64, in 2012 and is the mother of his two sons. Since their split the two have remained on good terms.
The Mirror reported that Joan was by his bedside the entire time and that he had been in a bad way for weeks.
A source told the publication: “Tim has been in a bad way for a while and had to pull out of filming Benidorm. He was in hospital for three and a half weeks, and at one point he was fighting for his life.
“But he was flown to Manchester on Saturday and his condition has improved. His wife Joan has been by his side throughout the ordeal.
“He’s still in hospital but is making progress. The doctors are keeping a constant eye on him.”
Tim has previously struggled with health problems including a condition called intermittent claudication, which caused blocked arteries in his legs and required surgery.
Denise said of her former husband’s 2011 health crisis: “I was terrified Tim could die. I tried to stay strong for him but I was scared.
“He was in agony with the pain in his legs but, being a typical man, he’d feel a bit better and say, ‘I’m fine, I don’t need to go to the doctor’.”
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