Patrick Swayze, whose Chicago-set A&E drama, "The Beast," premieres Jan. 15, has checked himself into the hospital, according to news reports from the Television Critics Association convention in Los Angeles.

Swayze was set to promote the new series to critics at the TCA winter press tour on Friday, but he was not able to attend due to a bout of pneumonia, according to A&E president president Bob DeBitetto. Swayze has been battling pancreatic cancer for the last year.


"As anyone who has had a friend or family member who's undergone treatment for cancer must know, chemotherapy can take a toll on your immune system and illnesses are an unavoidable part of it," DeBitetto said, according to Daniel Fienberg of HitFix.

"Patrick thanks everybody for the outpouring of support he's received," DeBitetto added, according to Comcast reporter Tracy Phillips. "Patrick will be promoting 'The Beast' as soon as he's back on his feet and feeling well again."

In a recent interview with Barbara Walters of ABC, Swayze said that his cancer battle has been "a nightmare." Critic Verne Gay posted extensive excerpts from that Dec. 7 interview at his site.

"You can bet that I'm going through hell," Swayze told Walters. "And I've only seen the beginning of it."

At Friday's A&E panel on the show, a "Beast" producer told critics that the drama "could adapt a second season to Swayze's evolving health," according to Fienberg. As USA Today noted, all 13 episodes of the first season have already been shot in Chicago.

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2009/01/patrick-swayze.html

I'm praying for some sort of peace for him.

Poor guy. :( God be with him. When is his interview with Barbara Walters going to air?

Poor guy. :( God be with him. When is his interview with Barbara Walters going to air?
It aired last Thursday. Really upset me actually. I can see he's not well, but trying with all his might to keep going. I hope he can overcome this hurdle. Scary too because he said in the interview he HOPED for two more years. He probably got this because his white cell count was so low from the chemo. (I started chemo today myself). He's right - it's no picnic.

He and Lisa will be in my prayers tonight for certain. :(

It aired last Thursday. Really upset me actually. I can see he's not well, but trying with all his might to keep going. I hope he can overcome this hurdle. Scary too because he said in the interview he HOPED for two more years. He probably got this because his white cell count was so low from the chemo. (I started chemo today myself). He's right - it's no picnic.

He and Lisa will be in my prayers tonight for certain. :(
I'm sorry I missed it. I will keep both you AND Patrick in my prayers, Cathie. :bighug:

I'm sorry to hear about his health not doing good. Is his tv show The Beast any good? I keep forgetting it comes on Thursday.