Op sparks fears for Watson's voice

Watson, 40, underwent a three-hour operation on the tumour at the private Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle, Cheshire on Thursday.

The father-of-two was first struck down with a brain tumour last year and made a full recovery from an operation, but it emerged the tumour had regrown when he fell ill in a recording studio last week.

The first operation was carried out by going through his nose, but scar tissue prevented doctors from being able to do so this time, according to his manager Richard Thompson.

Mr Thompson allayed fears that the tenor - known as The Voice - might never sing again, but admitted it was a case of waiting to see how his mouth healed before assessing the situation.

He said: "There was some concern because when he came out of theatre he was having trouble speaking, but he's speaking normally now.

"It is a worry, but we don't know how much of a worry. When he had the operation a year ago we didn't want to go through the mouth for obvious reasons, but there was no option this time.

"He's got stitches in his mouth and they'll need to heal. But he will be singing again."

Mr Thompson also said the support for the singer had been "off the scale".

Friends and family - including daughters Hannah, eight, and Rebecca, 12 - visited him over the weekend. The Salford-born singer has now been taken out of intensive care.