EXCLUSIVE: Homesick Hugh Laurie buys £2m Hollywood mansion - despite 'feeling like a prisoner in LA'

But today it emerged that Hugh Laurie has finally succumbed to the California lifestyle and put his job above all else.

The House actor, 49, has spent  £2million on a lavish new mansion in the Hollywood Hills, which is described as a 'magical garden paradise'.

New roots: Homesick Hugh Laurie has splashed out on a £2million mansion in the Hollywood Hills

The 3,242-sq ft gated English country house includes a gym, a pool and a guest house.

Sources say the 49-year-old, who plays grumpy TV character House, has been in virtual isolation from his wife Jo and their three children throughout the entire summer while he films the hit show.

An insider told MailOnline: 'Hugh's got England so deeply in his blood, spending time in LA when he's used to being with his family is a bit of a hell for him.

Virtual isolation: Hugh Laurie, pictured looking glum with wife Jo in March, has barely seen his family in months

'The problem is, the more time he spends alone and away from his family, the grumpier and grouchier he gets.

'It helps the show and the character, but it makes him tough to work alongside. He's basically turned into a recluse.'

Laurie's period in isolation has been blamed on this year's Hollywood writers' strike, which meant lengthy cancellations of shooting on the show.

Filming started immediately after protests ended in mid-May, meaning Laurie and the rest of the cast were forced to forgo their usual two-month break.

In an attempt to lift the actor's spirits, Laurie's House co-stars planned a surprise 49th birthday party for him in mid-June.

However Laurie was so exhausted after a full day's dinner, he backed out of the celebration, which he was tricked into believing was going to be a 'very serious one-on-one meeting with a TV executive'.

An insider told MailOnline: 'When Hugh got finished with shooting for the day, he sulked into his trailed looking like he needed a good night's sleep or three.

'The last thing he wanted to do was sit down with a suit. He just didn't want that kind of pressure on his birthday.'

The source says it took one of the show's producers a half hour to convince Hugh that he would be making a huge mistake by cancelling dinner with his boss.

TV star: The actor plays Gregory House in the popular medical drama House

Grudgingly, unsuspecting Hugh hopped on his motorcycle and made the half mile drive to the restaurant.

Laurie, who lives in a rented apartment when on location in LA, hasn't been back to England since early March.

The source added: 'Hugh would have loved to spend some of this summer with his kids, but his contract just won't let him.

'He was locked into shooting this summer and couldn't get out of it.'

Producers have also been quietly paying for boxing lessons with a top LA-based trainer, MailOnline has learned.

' are so that Hugh can work out his anger and frustration on a heavy bag instead of his collaborators on the show.

'Hugh's a lot happier to have these sessions in his life. He calls it the "boxing cure".'

Fortunately for Laurie, a break is finally in sight.

He is planning to return to the UK - and his family - at the beginning of August.

The source said: 'Hugh was looking forward to going back to England for four weeks starting the first week of August.

'He knows it's been a while since he's spent quality time with his family, and even though he's been looking in on them and making sure they're provided for, this is one of the longest stretches that he's had to endure away from them.

'I think it really broke his heart that they couldn't celebrate his birthday with him, but his contract forced him to stay put and complete all of his episodes after the writers' strike.'