Dad: Russell Watson 'quite bubbly'

Russell Watson is recovering well following an emergency operation to remove a brain tumour, his father has revealed.

Tim Watson said the tenor was still taking lots of painkillers but was out of a critical condition. He underwent the serious three-hour surgery on Thursday.

He recalled the shock of finding out his son's tumour was causing a leak into his brain: "His assistant called and explained that Russell had lost his voice and collapsed as he was recording his latest album. His sight was affected too - it was awful.

"The surgeons have certainly worked miracles. Those first 24 hours, while he was having the operation and then when we were waiting for him to wake up and he remained in a critical condition, formed the longest day of my life.

"But he just said to me 'hiya pop', as if nothing had happened. Considering he had just endured a lengthy operation on his brain, he looked remarkable.

"He's a real survivor and is quite bubbly now, although he is on morphine and lots of painkillers."

Tim said it would take his son some time to fully recover.