Gavin & Stacey star Mathew Horne 'forced to halt his West End show after suffering painful head injury onstage'

Gavin & Stacey star Mathew Horne reportedly suffered a painful head injury while performing onstage at the West End on Tuesday.

The actor, 46, was allegedly whisked off stage to be checked out, after hitting his head during a performance of The Tempest at The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

He is said to have accidentally smacked his forehead into a rock on the stage, while rolling about on the floor during a scene just 10 minutes in.

According to The Sun, the production was delayed for 15 minutes while Mathew was given the all-clear and later continued on with the show, though with a visible mark on his head.

An audience member told the publication: 'Mathew’s forehead had a big, red mark on it and it looked pretty painful, even from far away in the theatre.

'He was clearly in pain so they stopped the show as a precautionary measure to give him a once-over.

'It was about 15 minutes before the cast eventually returned to the stage, including Mathew, but his forehead looked sore. He was a real trooper to finish the show because it can’t have been comfortable.'

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Mathew Horne for comment. 

Despite the alleged injury the night before, Mathew was all smiles on Wednesday as he reunited with his co-stars at the Gavin And Stacey: The Finale screening at the Ham Yard Hotel.

The supposed 'last ever' installment of the beloved comedy will air in a 90-minute special on Christmas Day, after fans of the show begged for an end to the story following the cliffhanger 2019 special.

Mathew - who plays the titular Gavin - was joined by his onscreen wife Joanna Page and co-stars Larry Lamb, Alison Steadman, Steffan Rhodri and Robert Wilfort, as well as show creators James Corden and Ruth Jones.

Mathew and James, 46, who also plays Gavin's best pal Smithy, shared a sweet encounter at the screening - putting their feud rumours well and truly to bed.

The actors proved they have no shared enmity as they wrapped their arms around one another, after Mathew hit back at claims they had had a 'bitter fallout'.

The pair were once inseparable and would frequently be spotted together, before James went on to find fame in America.

Speculation arose that the duo had fallen out after Gavin & Stacey finished airing in 2009 and James left to front his very own successful Late Late Show chat show across the pond.

However, Mathew has since rubbished the claims and expressed his frustration about having to repeatedly deny them, while also coming to the defence of James.

Speaking to The Times at the weekend, he said: 'This notion of us falling out in 2009 — it wasn't true, but I couldn't really do anything about it. 

'Because James then went off to the States, that was the narrative and however much I said that we didn't fall out, no amount of protesting would have convinced people that it didn't happen.'

He continued: 'It was a hectic time and I really don't want any more hecticness and chaos in my life. I just want to be grateful and enjoy the things that I'm so fortunate to have. 

'Which is a really interesting, fun career and a beautiful family. Honestly, I'm sick of talking about 15 years of this, it sapped my energy at the time and it's not important.'

Defending James from trolls who target him for his success, Mathew added: 'The root of all of the flak that he takes — and it's beyond flak — is jealousy. He is a phenomenally gifted actor and writer, and a brilliant working-class success story.

'So yeah, I am protective of him. But I think I've been silenced in discussing him because of this narrative that's been imposed.'