Comic Ayli in hospital

John Plant, alias Ayli, was rushed to Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital the night after one of the popular duo's performances on their latest sell-out tour. Ayli is pictured, left, with Aynuk.

He has been confined to his hospital bed for the past three-and-a-half weeks with "serious bowel problems", with family and friends anxiously awaiting the results of tests to pinpoint exactly what is wrong with him.

John, aged 54, of Hockley Lane, Netherton, had been on tour with his partner Alan Smith, 69, of Arch Hill Street, Netherton, who plays Aynuk.

But his partner has vowed the show will go on and is set to perform in Sutton Coldfield tonight - despite carrying the worry about his "old mucker" around with him.

"We are waiting on the results of tests and he has been in hospital, confined to his bed, for the past three-and-a-half weeks now," he said.

"We know he has been diagnosed with serious bowel problems but that is all we know until the test results come back. It is a very worrying time. He is seriously ill.

"We were on our latest tour and he just collapsed the morning after one of our performances.

"Since then I have offered postponements of any dates or just myself to perform, but very few have called it off.

"It has been a strain. I have had two different partners on stage with me for the past 46 years so it has been difficult adapting to being on my own again. But I have tried to stick to what has worked for us in the past.

"This has really knocked me. John is 'me old mucker'. We go back years and I just want to see him out of hospital and in the harness with me again."

By Wayne Beese