George Shelley is to make a guest appearance in 'Benidorm' next year.

George Shelley

George Shelley

The former Union J singer decided to hang up his microphone temporarily a few weeks ago in order to try his hand at acting by making a cameo in the ITV comedy.

He explained: "It's a cameo. It involved a lot of laughing. The role is funny."

Filming for tenth series wrapped up in July after the cast spent five months shooting in the sunny resort but it's believed bosses flew the 23-year-old hunk out to Benidorm afterwards to ensure his scenes were ready to slot into the new installment.

Details of his exciting cameo role are being kept tightly under wraps for the time being but it's thought there could be a chance he'll become frisky manager Joyce Temple-Savage's (Sherrie Hewson) new toy boy lover after he rocks up at the Solana Hotel.

The new batch of episodes will also see the return of Tim Healy - who portrays cross-dresser Lesley in the comedy sitcom - after he pulled out of filming mid-way through because he was struck down with a mystery illness that almost claimed his life.

His co-star Tony Maudsley - who plays hot pants-loving hairdresser Kenneth Du Beke in the show - told BANG Showbiz recently: "He was in hospital in Spain but he's on the mend now because we know he's coming back for series 10. Series 10 has been confirmed, Tim's been confirmed. So he's definitely on the mend."

Janine Duvitski - who portrays sex addict Jacqueline Stewart in the programme - has admitted Tim looks "so different" from how he was before he fell ill in April.

She said: "I saw Tim because I'm rehearsing an episode of 'Open All Hours'. So I saw him last week and he's lost a lot of weight, he was really poorly. He said it's not a good way of losing a lot of weight but he's back working now. He's back at work anyway. He just looks different."

Tim spent four weeks in a hospital in Spain under the watchful eye of doctors because he seemed to be at death's door, but his condition made a dramatic improvement and he was deemed stable enough to be airlifted back to the UK.