| Local celebrity Keith Chegwin was rushed to the North Hampshire Hospital at Basingstoke on Christmas Day. Doctors diagnosed accute appendicitis and the offending item was removed during an emergency operation.
Keith had been suffering with pain over the past two weeks as he toured the country giving away a daily £10,000 prize for GMTV's "On your Doorstep".
Cheggers was about to enjoy his Christmas dinner with his wife Maria and their six-year old son Ted at their home near Newbury when the pain became unbearable. "One minute I'm preparing my Christmas turkey, the next minute I'm the one who got stuffed" said Keith from his hospital bed.
Keith and his second wife Maria, can often be seen shopping in and around Newbury. He moved to the area in the 1980's with his first wife Maggie Philbin.
He started his career in children's TV and is famous for shows including Cheggers Plays Pop, Swap Shop and Saturday Superstore. | 
