TV star Martin Shaw is determined to take the stage tonight after he collapsed during a matinee performance at Shrewsbury’s Theatre Severn and had to be rushed to hospital, his agent said.

Theatre-goers initially feared the actor had suffered a heart attack as paramedics interrupted the performance of A Country Girl on Wednesday before taking him to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

But Roger Charteris, Mr Shaw’s agent, said the 65-year-old star had actually passed out because he was suffering from broken ribs and a severe chest infection.

Mr Charteris said Mr Shaw – best known for playing the title role in ITV’s Judge John Deed – had been released from hospital and had been resting up yesterday.

Mr Shaw had even intimated that he wanted to perform in last night’s show, although in the end he was unable to.

“He wanted to be back on stage last night but it wasn’t going to be possible,” said Mr Charteris.

“In his mind he wanted to be back on as soon as possible,” he said.

“He will just go out and do his job he really doesn’t want to make an issue of it.

Disappointed

“He’s just desperately disappointed that he’s missed shows and doesn’t want to miss any more.”

Mr Charteris said his client should never have been on stage in the first place on Wednesday, but appeared because he “did not want to let the good people of Shropshire down”.

Theatre Severn operations manager David Jack said yesterday that an understudy had been drafted in so the show could go on.

He confirmed that Mr Shaw did not appear in Wednesday night’s performance, which also went ahead as planned.

Mr Shaw had appeared on stage at Theatre Severn on Monday and Tuesday night with Judge John Deed co-star Jenny Seagrove before the incident half an hour into the Wednesday matinee show.

The touring show A Country Girl is due to run at Theatre Severn until this Saturday.

The veteran actor has also appeared in Coronation Street, The Professionals and Doctor in the House in a long and distinguished TV career spanning four decades.

By Russell Roberts