Ailing Slater's British stage début delayed

Hollywood star Christian Slater has been forced to delay his British stage début as he struggles to overcome a bout of chicken pox.

The True Romance hunk, 34, was taken ill on Friday during rehearsals of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest in London after his co-star Felix Dexter was diagnosed with the highly-contagious disease.

As Slater's illness continues, producers have pulled the opening night this Friday at Scotland's Edinburgh Festival, giving Slater more time to recover.

The play's producer Nica Burns says: "We so hoped we would be able to make the first performance but poor Christian's chicken pox has simply been too virulent.

"In order to safeguard the rest of the run we are having to take the doctor's advice to let Christian recover for one more day. Randle P McMurphy is an enormous part requiring great energy."

After three weeks at the Assembly Rooms in the Scottish capital, the play were transfer to the West End's Gielgud Theatre.