Father Ted star Brendan Grace, 68, fights for his life in hospital

Brendan Grace, 68, who is pictured last October in Dublin with his wife Eileen, has been diagnosed with lung cancer

Father Ted star Brendan Grace was today fighting for his life in hospital after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

The 68-year-old comedian and singer, who played evil Father Fintan Stack in the 90s Channel 4 sitcom, was given the news while being treated for pneumonia.

Dublin-born Grace – who has four children and lives in West Palm Beach, Florida, with his wife Eileen – has now had to cancel his summer tour of Ireland.

A spokesman for Grace told the Irish Daily Mirror today: ‘Brendan Grace has been in hospital for the last four weeks receiving treatment for pneumonia.

‘It has now transpired that he is also suffering from cancer for which he is receiving ongoing care and treatment. 

‘His family are a great support to him at this difficult time and respect for their privacy would be much appreciated.’ 

Grace played evil Father Fintan Stack in the classic 1990s Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted

Grace played evil Father Fintan Stack in the classic 1990s Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted

Grace, who is in hospital in Ireland and will remain there for treatment, has faced multiple major health battles in recent years.

This included when he was diagnosed with diabetes in 2009, eventually losing two of his toes as a result of a gangrene caused by the condition.

Then in 2015 he had a stroke followed by a bad fall, saying that it has left him often looking like he was under the influence.

Grace spoke about the impact of his health problems in an RTE documentary last year, but his troubles have not stopped him touring until now. 

Grace made his name on the stage with characters such as the cheeky schoolboy Bottler

Grace made his name on the stage with characters such as the cheeky schoolboy Bottler

Speaking about his wife of more than 45 years during the programme last year, called ‘Brendan Grace: Funny Man’, he said: ‘My very best friend is Eileen.

‘There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her and there’s nothing she wouldn’t do for me, and that’s how it’s been for the past 45 years. Doing nothing for each other.’

Grace made his name on the stage with characters such as the cheeky schoolboy Bottler in his school cap, blazer and shorts.

He also wrote comedy versions of songs, including a bilingual version of Tom Jones’s Delilah which included the famed line ‘so before they come to bris down the doras’.

Grace is in hospital in Ireland and will remain there for treatment

Grace has faced multiple major health battles in recent years

Grace (right, pictured last October), who is in hospital in Ireland and will remain there for treatment, has faced multiple major health battles in recent years

But he really shot to fame thanks to his role as Father Stack in Father Ted in ‘New Jack City’, the ninth episode of series two of the comedy in 1996.

Father Stack is an obnoxious and rude priest who is sent to the parochial house as Father Jack’s replacement when the latter contracts ‘Hairy Hands Syndrome’.

Grace and his wife have four children – Amanda, 43, who lives in Ireland, Melanie, 40 and Bradley, 37, who live in Boston, and Brendan Patrick, 34, who is in New York. 

The couple also have three grandsons, with Brendan Patrick having Aidan, ten, and Melanie having two sons, James, 11, and Patrick, nine.

Father Ted star Pat Laffan, who played milkman Pat Mustard, died aged 79 in March

Frank Kelly, who played the foul-mouthed Father Jack, died in February 2016 aged 77

Father Ted star Pat Laffan (left), who played milkman Pat Mustard, died aged 79 in March, while Frank Kelly (right), who played the foul-mouthed Father Jack, died in February 2016 aged 77

The cancer diagnosis comes just four months after the death of Grace’s fellow Father Ted star Pat Laffan aged 79 in March.

Laffan had originally auditioned for the role of Father Stack, but this was given to Grace – and Laffan was instead cast as milkman Pat Mustard.

And February 2016 saw the death of Frank Kelly, the actor who played the foul-mouthed, alcoholic Father Jack, aged 77.

Dermot Morgan, who played Father Ted, died in March 1998 aged 45 after suffering a heart attack in London just one day after recording the last episode of the show. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk