Rumours started that she had stomach cancer – I hate it when that happens.

It has been reported this week that Dolly is doing well after being diagnosed with kidney stones and already out of her hospital bed and honouring commitments, despite the fact that she is still recovering from this very painful procedure.

I can sympathise wholeheartedly with her, having been a sufferer of kidney stones myself over the years.

Thank God for morphine is all I can say.

On one occasion, I even had a morphine injection before going on stage to perform as the kidney stone pain was so excruciating.

Rumour has it that I did a great performance that night, not that I could remember much about it as the medication worked so well!

As a hard-working comedian I felt it was my duty to keep going like a real trooper, but as Dolly is estimated to be worth £325 million and counting, I’d have cwtshed up in bed a bit longer if I was her!