Ryan Dunn

By BEN TODD and BAZ BAMIGBOYE

Back home: Catherine Zeta Jones touched down in New York today after cutting short her visit to Wales

Fears were growing over the health of Michael Douglas last night after his wife Catherine Zeta- Jones cut short her trip to Britain and pulled out of a film.

The actress had been due to stay in Wales to watch the Ryder Cup this weekend, but yesterday she flew back to New York, where her film star husband is receiving treatment for throat cancer.

The previous evening she had indicated that she would remain in Wales for the duration of the three-day event.

But yesterday she was driven from Cardiff to London to catch her flight - as it emerged that she has put her film career on hold while Douglas, 66, continues his health battle.

Miss Zeta-Jones, 40, had been due to play Vivien Leigh in the film My Week With Marilyn alongside Kenneth Branagh and Michelle Williams - a part she was said to be eager to take.

However, she has now turned down the role because she does not want to be away from Douglas for an extended period. The Hollywood couple are both golf fanatics and Douglas had been scheduled to travel with his wife to Wales to see the Ryder Cup but had to pull out as he continued chemotherapy.

Worried: Catherine cut short her trip to the UK and has pulled out of a film to be with her husband
The Wall Street star had particularly hoped to watch the U.S. team retain golf's premier trophy against their European rivals.

Instead, he stayed in New York with their two children Carys, seven, and Dylan, ten.

Brave face: Michael Douglas in New York yesterday

On Wednesday evening Miss Zeta-Jones had said that her husband was 'doing great, given the circumstances.

She said: 'Michael's not travelling with me this weekend. He's just finishing up his treatment.

'He's holding up very, very well and everyone could not be happier with the progress. He's doing fine thanks.

'He's strong and the doctors are so happy and he's just about to complete - what anyone who's gone through it knows - a pretty gruelling eight weeks.'

Miss Zeta-Jones was speaking before hosting a pre-Ryder Cup concert at Cardiff 's Millennium Stadium.

Earlier she had discussed her husband's continued fight against the disease with Prince Charles.

'Well, wish him all my best. Positive thoughts,' the prince told her.

Miss Zeta-Jones also told how Douglas was planning to watch the tournament at the Celtic Manor course on their TV at home.

She said: 'Michael will be glued to anything that has a golf ball and a club, especially the Ryder Cup.
'Usually I would be watching it with him. I just hope the weather holds up - but we can't help any of that and we're used to it.'

Despite Miss Zeta-Jones' public comments on Wednesday night indicating that she would be staying for the tournament, her spokesman this morning insisted she had always planned to return to the US yesterday.

A spokesman said early today: 'She never said she was staying for the Ryder Cup and in fact made it clear she was only here for the opening night. Those were always the arrangements.'