Matt King, the 58-year-old actor celebrated for portraying Super Hans in Peep Show, has disclosed that he experienced a rare spinal cord stroke on Sunday which left him temporarily unable to move.
The star was taken urgently to The Royal Sussex hospital, where medical staff have been treating him.
Sharing an update from his hospital bed alongside a selfie featuring a teddy bear, Mr King confirmed the news to his followers.
"It's true. I had a rare stroke of the spinal cord on Sunday. I was initially paralysed but was rushed to The Royal Sussex and the staff have been amazing," he wrote.
Mr King confirmed the news on social meda
|CHANNEL 4
The actor reported he has regained some mobility, adding: "Can walk again, a bit. My legs were jelly, man. It didn't feel f****** brilliant. Thank you for all the love and kindness."
His Peep Show colleague Vera Graziadei, who portrayed Elena in the comedy series, had sparked concern among fans the previous day when she posted an image of King from the programme.
"Peeples, let's send some prayers and love to our dear friend and bloody brilliant actor and human - Matt @thatmattkingfella who needs it now. Health issue so send your love and support to him!" she urged.
Mr King responded to her appeal with his trademark wit, referencing the classic television series The Six Million Dollar Man.
Matt King shared the news with an Instagram post
|"Thank you to my beautiful and amazing friend @vera.graziadei for her kindness and words. I'm doing okay.
"They will rebuild me, at a cost of exactly six million dollars. I should get some sort of nickname out of that. Thanks for all the love. MK," he replied.
Mr King brought the character of Super Hans to life across nine series of the Channel 4 sitcom, which ran from 2003 to 2015, spanning a dozen years in total.
The show centred on the lives of flatmates Mark Corrigan, played by David Mitchell, and Robert Webb's Jez Usbourne, with Super Hans serving as Jez's drug-addled, fantasy-prone companion with a particular fondness for crack cocaine.
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Matt King brought the character of Super Hans to life across nine series of the Channel 4 sitcom
|CHANNEL 4
Following the programme's conclusion, Mr King continued to embody the beloved character through DJ performances at venues throughout Britain.
In his hospital update, Mr King made a playful nod to a series seven episode titled A Beautiful Mind, where Super Hans abandons substances entirely and "accidentally runs to Windsor" once the "endorphins kicked in."
Despite the character's notorious substance abuse, Mr King has previously clarified that he never personally indulged in such habits.
"No, never touched the stuff. I mean I've been a bit hedonistic in the past I suppose but never in the same ballpark as Super Hans," he told the Guardian.
Peep Show ran from 2003 to 2015
|CHANNEL 4
The actor has spoken candidly about what the role allows him to explore, describing Super Hans as "not a million miles away from the bad side of me" and a vehicle for acting out impulses to be "amoral and not give a s*** about another human being."
"He has no moral compass. In fact, he's thrown his moral compass away and taken a s*** on it," Mr King explained.
Last Christmas, Mr King reunited with fellow cast members David Mitchell, Olivia Colman, Isy Suttie and Sophie Winkleman for The Great Peep Show Christmas Bake Off on Channel 4.