Stephen Mulhern rushed to hospital after collapsing in front of horrified diners at Pizza Express following dad’s death

HEARTBROKEN Stephen Mulhern was taken to infirmary aft dramatically collapsing astatine a Pizza Express.

The telly favourite, mourning the decease of his beloved father, had been drinking with his repast but is believed to person reacted to an anaesthetic helium had for an operation earlier successful the day.

An ambulance was called aft unit became acrophobic for 47-year-old Stephen astatine astir 8pm connected Wednesday.

He was checked implicit by paramedics and taken from Sunningdale, Berks, to adjacent Frimley Park infirmary successful Camberley, Surrey, arsenic a precaution.

Last night, a root told The Sun: “Stephen has been going done an incredibly pugnacious clip of late. He is grieving the nonaccomplishment of his dada to whom helium was so, truthful close. He’s besides been battling respective well-documented wellness problems, and connected Wednesday greeting had a process requiring a section anaesthetic.

“He took himself disconnected for a quiet, solo meal that evening, had a fewer drinks and conscionable reacted incredibly badly. He’s lone human, and his dad’s decease has deed him hard.

“Stephen instantly felt unwell and acrophobic unit came over, and called 999. Paramedics checked him implicit and took him to infirmary arsenic a precaution. He was besides enactment connected the telephone to his mum to reassure her that helium was OK.

“Stephen is recovering good astatine location now, and is resting up.

“He’s truthful grateful for the attraction helium received, and is mortified that helium had specified an atrocious — and nationalist — absorption to the anaesthetic.”

It is understood that Stephen has been fixed continuous enactment by his team, ITV bosses and semipermanent pal Holly Willoughby — his co-host for the instrumentality of situation amusement You Bet!.

Stephen, who has spoken fondly astir increasing up with his dada Christopher successful London’s East End, was forced to propulsion retired of commitments with Butlin’s vacation parks past period pursuing the death.

The TV star, erstwhile the youngest subordinate of the Magic Circle, was introduced to tricks by his dada and honed his skills portion moving connected his marketplace stall.

His father’s decease was a caller stroke to the fashionable presenter, who has been besieged by wellness problems implicit the past fewer years.

In April, helium missed an occurrence of Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway owed to illness, meaning Jordan North was brought successful to screen his segment.

And successful March 2022, The Sun connected Sunday revealed helium had been taken to infirmary with an chartless condition.

He missed 2 episodes, and joked connected his instrumentality that his backstage pitchy had breached down successful Hollywood.

He added: “No, seriously, I haven’t been excessively well.”

'Doctor's orders'

At the time, Stephen past wrote connected X, formerly Twitter: “Hello all, atrocious I’ve been quiescent connected present precocious and convey you for each your beauteous messages.

“I’ve had immoderate clip disconnected and been resting up connected doctor’s orders.”

He aboriginal told The Sun: “It’s truly bizarre due to the fact that this is the archetypal clip I’ve ever explained — due to the fact that I support myself to myself — but I was successful hospital. Now we’re each right. But it wasn’t good. It was a spot of a worrying time.”

Last night, a spokesperson for the prima confirmed: “Stephen has had an incredibly pugnacious clip implicit the past fewer weeks. His beloved begetter precocious passed distant which has deed him hard and has been understandably precise stressful. In addition, helium had a surgical procedure.

“Following the anaesthetic administered, helium had a fewer drinks which made him unwell and helium was taken successful to infirmary arsenic a precaution. He is present backmost location recovering.”

News of the incidental comes successful the run-up to the much-hyped instrumentality of iconic 80s situation amusement You Bet!.

ITV yesterday released 2 caller clips from the programme, which airs connected December 7.