Opera singer Russell Watson is recovering well after emergency surgery to treat a bleeding brain tumour.

The Salford-born tenor’s condition has now been downgraded from ‘critical’ to ‘stable’ following a three-hour operation at a Cheshire hospital yesterday.

The 40-year-old father of two, who had a benign brain tumour removed last year, was rushed to Alexandra Hospital, Cheadle, on Wednesday after his vision deteriorated and he collapsed.

Today, Mr Michael Stroud, executive director of the hospital said: “Russell Watson had a comfortable night and remains in our Intensive Therapy Unit for continuous monitoring and care.

“He is recovering well from his surgery and is in a stable condition. He is talking for brief periods and has been eating small amounts of food but the priority is for him to rest. Family members are with him.

“It is only 36 hours since his life was in danger, so it is important for him and those around him to take things slowly. Russell is following the advice of his medical team and he understands that his recovery plan may be a long haul.

Mr Stroud said there had been an influx of messages of support for the singer from the public.

“His management team is overwhelmed by the amount of support and messages from friends and fans. While Russell will not have seen much of the enormous evidence of that caring from the public yet, he clearly feels the same.

Mr Stroud said Watson may be moved from the main Intensive Therapy Unit later today.

“Patients are only moved when they are ready – and provided that the care team is convinced that they are ready.

“We do have private rooms as part of our intensive care suite and as a patient’s critical level status improves, they can be moved there. We would expect Russell to make that move today. “

Known as the “working men’s tenor” and, simply, “The Voice,” Watson was operated on at St George’s Hopsital in South London last October, after an MRI scan revealed a tumour the size of two golf balls. Watson described the pain caused by the growth as “like a knife being pressed into the bridge of my nose”. Following the surgery, he was unable to leave the house for several months.

Since rising to fame in 1999, following a performance before a Manchester United match, the singer, who blends pop and opera, has sold four million albums worldwide.

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