Comedian Paul O'Grady suffered a heart attack three years ago

The 51-year-old comedian is expected to return to his home near Ashford, Kent in a few days, a friend said.

The presenter of The New Paul O'Grady Show was admitted to hospital on Friday morning after suffering chest pains.

A spokeswoman for the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford said he was in a "comfortable" condition.

'All the best'

A Channel Four spokeswoman said: "We are shocked and concerned by the news.

"Along with Paul's many fans we are wishing him all the very best."

She said it was hoped he would have made a full recovery by the time his Channel 4 show was due to return in September.

O'Grady, who has a 200-acre country home 10 miles from Ashford, suffered a heart attack in April 2002 and underwent an operation to widen a blocked artery.

Afterwards, O'Grady said he was reviewing his lifestyle and giving up smoking "for the first time in my adult life".

"Lambert and Butler have had to lay off 200 staff," he joked.