Johnny Hallyday 'stable' after heart problems

The veteran French pop star, Johnny Hallyday, 69, was said to be "stable" last night after being flown by helicopter to a hospital in the French west indies suffering from an excessively fast heart-beat.

Mr Hallyday's entourage said that he would be released shortly from the hospital at Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe. They denied reports circulating on the intenet that the singer had suffered a heart attack.

His producer, Gilbert Coullier, said that Mr Hallyday had acute bronchitis which had led to tachycardia or an over-rapid heart beat.

During an earlier health scare in December 2009, the singer was twice placed in an artificial coma in a Los Angeles clinic after he suffered complications following a back operation. He resumed his live concert and acting schedule earlier this year.