Michael Douglas claims Val Kilmer has got cancer.

Val Kilmer

Val Kilmer

The 72-year-old actor - who successfully fought tongue cancer six years ago - says his former co-star is currently battling the illness and is not in a good way.

Speaking during a Q&A with TV host Jonathan Ross at 'An Evening with Michael Douglas' in London, the Oscar-winning star spoke about shooting 'The Ghost in the Darkness' with Val in 1996.

According to The Sun, he said: "The picture didn't turn out as well as I hoped but I had a wonderful time.

"Val was a wonderful guy who is dealing with exactly what I had, and things don't look too good for him.

"My prayers are with him. That's why you haven't heard too much from Val lately."

In January 2015, Val, 56, was hospitalised after he was bleeding from the throat but last year denied having cancer.

Writing on his Facebook page, he said: "I am perfectly well folks. Thank you for all your love and support. I am having a grand time. And I should mention I do not have cancer or a tumor.(sic)"

In 2010, Michael - who is married to Catherine Zeta-Jones - announced he was battling throat cancer and after undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment, he was given the all-clear the following year.

However, three years later he said he'd actually been diagnosed with tongue cancer but was advised by his doctor not to say anything.

Speaking about his illness, the father-of-three told Jonathan: "I had to deal with chemo, radiation, which is a seven week period, and a bunch of weeks either side.

"My kids were pretty good about it. I was really honest about it and you just progressively as you take the chemo and radiation, you get weaker and not moving around.

"I had a very nice couch in my den, which I lived on. You know, there's not a lot of choices really.

That's what you go through. They were wonderfully supportive, Catherine was too."