SIR Ken Dodd is in hospital with a severe chest infection after being struck by flu.
The comedian, 90, has spent nearly a week being cared for by medics after falling ill last Friday.
Liverpool-born Ken was taken by ambulance to a hospital in the city after struggling to breathe.
His wife Anne, 76, has remained at his bedside.
A pal said: “Doddy’s a fighter but flu is very serious for a 90-year-old.
“He was struggling last week and had trouble breathing so an ambulance was called and they’ve decided to keep him in until he’s well enough.”
Ken, knighted in 2017 for his 64-year comedy career and charity work, thinks he picked up the illness at his sellout gig at the Liverpool Echo Arena in December — just as the Australian flu gripped the UK.
A spokesman for Doddy said: “He’s had a chest infection and is receiving treatment for that. He’s expected to make a recovery.
“He went in for a check on Friday because with everything that has been going around and Ken’s age, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
“They are just keeping a close watch on him and making sure all is well.”
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Workaholic Ken, famous for his unruly hair and “tickle stick”, was one of Britain’s best-selling singers of the Sixties, with hits such as Love is Like A Violin, Tears and Happiness.
He made it into the Guinness World Records for telling 1,500 jokes in three-and-a-half hours.