'Phoenix Nights' star Ted Robbins is making his return to work after losing his voice for four months following a fire at his home.
Ted Robbins
The 64-year-old comedian was left unable to speak after breathing in large amounts of smoke when a tumble dryer burst into flames at his house in April.
Ted's voice just "faded away" and he had to rely on sign language and trying to mouth words to communicate with his family and friends but after having an injection in his throat to expand a paralysed vocal cord he's able to talk again and is excited to get back on stage.
Speaking to LancsLive, he said: "I'm still a bit scratchy, but we're keeping everything crossed. I am very grateful to the hospital and the NHS. They have looked after me so much.
"I am delighted to have my voice back because it has been horrible, and I'm not very good at sitting around doing nothing. It's nice for a day or two!"
Ted - whose sister is actress-and-comic Kate Robbins, the mother of 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!' star Emily Atack - was told by the doctors who cared for him that they couldn't categorically say that it was the smoke from the fire that caused him to lose his voice.
However, the former 'Coronation Street' actor has vowed to never buy another tumble dryer because he thinks the household appliances are dangerous.
He said: "It was awful, they didn't know for sure it was the fire, but the coincidence was astounding. I breathed in a lot of black smoke. Tumble dryers are not safe, and we will never have another."
Ted makes his return to the stage at 'An Evening with Ted Robbins' this Friday (13.09.19) at St Mary's Chambers, in Rawtenstall, Lancashire, England.
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