COMEDIAN Brendan Grace has been diagnosed with lung cancer.
The 68-year-old Father Ted star has been in hospital for the last four weeks receiving treatment for pneumonia, a spokesman told the Irish Daily Mirror.
During the treatment, Grace was diagnosed with cancer.
"His current July/August Irish Tour has been cancelled," the spokesman said.
"Brendan is still in hospital and will be remaining there for ongoing treatment. He is hospitalised in Ireland."
The Dubliner lives in the US but regularly tours in Ireland.
He has dealt with several health problems over the last few years including a stroke and complications from diabetes which saw him lose some of his toes.
Grace began his 50-year showbiz career as a musician before he became a comedian.
He his known for his stand-up routines, particularly his cheeky schoolboy character Bottler.
The comedian made an unforgettable cameo in Father Ted as obnoxious Fr Fintan Stack who torments the other priests by blasting jungle music at 3am and driving Ted's car into a wall.
Grace revealed the full extent of his health problems in a documentary, Brendan Grace: Funny Man, which was broadcast last year.
"I got diabetes, it was a bit of a blow to me.
"Eileen (his wife of 45 years) often said to me about the diabetes, that she wished it was her who got it because she would be better able to discipline herself into the right thing to do, whereas I’m inclined to throw caution to the wind."
