US TV's Clark to stay in hospital

Dick Clark was presenter of American Bandstand for 30 years

US TV host Dick Clark is to remain in hospital over Christmas following a mild stroke in December.

Clark, who has hosted 32 New Year's Eve specials, will be watching his annual television show from his bedside.

Presenter Regis Philbin will fill in for the host on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2005, which will be broadcast from New York's Times Square.

Clark's publicist Paul Shefrin said the host was out of intensive care and "doing some rehab."

Mr Shefrin said doctors were "thrilled with his progress", adding he was going to have "an awful lot of thank-you cards to write".

Clark, who produces the Golden Globe and American Music Awards, disclosed last year that he was suffering from diabetes.

Hall of Fame

His popular music show American Bandstand was first broadcast in 1952, and attracted an audience of 20 million people after it was picked up by ABC in 1957.

The long-running weekly series, which featured guests including Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and Aretha Frankin, came to an end in 1989.

Clark was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 for his contribution to the music industry.

He has also been responsible for television series such as TV Bloopers, Celebrity Boxing and drama American Dreams.