Paul O'Grady

Paul O'Grady

Paul O'Grady started feeling ill after playing a cancer patient on 'Holby City'.

The 'For the Love of Dogs' host - who was taken to intensive care when he suffered heart attacks in 2002 and 2006 - is set to appear on the BBC medical drama as Tim, a new patient who befriends Tina Hobley's feisty alter-ego, nurse Chrissie Williams, and he says filming the dramatic scenes made him worry he was ill for real.

He told The Sun newspaper: "It was emotional filming 'Holby'. And I did actually come home feeling sick as I would lie in bed all day with tubes on me, and then I would go into 'Holby' the next day, and they would put even more tubes on me.

"They make you look ill, so after 14 hours of that every day, I came home and I really had to tell myself that I wasn't actually ill as I wanted to do everything so much justice. I literally had to tell myself to stop it, remember that I wasn't ill and I was only playing a character."

While the 58-year-old star is best known for his presenting work, he admits he enjoyed his foray into acting and would consider doing more of it.

However, Paul insists he couldn't star on a soap like 'Coronation Street' because of the demanding schedule, but would love to appear on period drama 'Downton Abbey'.

He added: "They work such long hours in 'Corrie'. I like the variety I have got now. But 'Downton Abbey' would be good, yes. I reckon I'd definitely be below the stairs cleaning out a grate or something! I'd hardly be upstairs, would I?"

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