Hollywood star Michael Sheen met nurses in Wales over Christmas

Actor Michael Sheen, star of films including The Queen and Frost/Nixon, returned to his roots for Christmas by visiting patients at his hometown hospital.

The Welsh thespian dropped into Neath Port Talbot Hospital and spent an hour speaking to nurses and the public for a feature on Christmas in Wales - which aired on Radio Four’s Today programme on bank holiday Monday (28).

He was guided around the ward by senior nurse Olwen Morgan and stopped to chat to patients, relatives, nurses, doctors and catering staff as well as viewing the ward’s Pili Pala - or butterfly - room, which is filled with memorabilia and used for reminiscence therapy.

Nursing director Lesley Jenkins said the hospital was ‘delighted’ he chose to spend time with them which had lifted everyone’s spirits.