Ex-Hollyoaks actor Andy Newton Lee left in COMA after collapsing at the wheel of his car

31 May 2019, 12:56 | Updated: 5 September 2019, 15:21

Andy blamed his hectic schedule on falling ill and ending up in a coma.

Former Hollyoaks actor Andy Newton Lee was put in a coma after collapsing at the wheel of his car.

The the 38-year-old - who played Robbie Flynn in the Channel 4 soap - was found near his home in Los Angeles and immediately rushed to hospital.

He was later diagnosed with pneumonia and induced into a coma last Thursday, before being woken out of it on the following Wednesday.

According to Hull Live, Andy had been due to fly back to the UK for a friend's funeral but missed it due to his hospitalisation.

Speaking to the publication, the actor - who’s also starred in Coronation Street and Casualty - has blamed "burning the candle at both ends" for why he fell ill, after flying back and forth to the UK and competing in a marathon.

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"I'd just been sleeping next to the ocean in my car, it's nice, it's like being at the Humber Bridge, my dad used to do it,” he said.

"I've been really run down and stressed for a bit with my business. I've had a cold and the flu but I thought I was just run down.

"I've done marathons, going to yoga and the gym, flying back to London every second week and burning the candle at both ends."

Andy then went on to thank the passerby who found him, adding: "I woke up yesterday morning and felt very erratic but I'm much better today.

"The care here has been amazing and I feel very lucky.

"It's definitely a wake up call to anyone who has respiratory problems."

The actor played Robbie Flynn on Hollyoaks from 2003 to 2004, starred as Liam Strong on Corrie in 2003 and also played Stacey Merrick on Casualty from 2005 to 2008.

This comes after Andy was diagnosed with stage 3 malignant melanoma in both legs back in 2005.

He has since gone on to become an ambassador for Cancer Research UK, competing in 13 marathons so far.

Andy now works as a businessman and entrepreneur in LA where he set up his own relocation company called Next Stop LAX.