Howie Mandel hospitalized with irregular heartbeat

[January 13, 2009]  TORONTO (AP) -- Howie Mandel has been hospitalized in Canada with an irregular heartbeat, his publicist said.

Mandel was in Toronto taping his new show "Howie Do It!" Monday when he was taken to the hospital, said Lewis Kay, publicist for the 53-year-old comedian and game show host.

"Howie is in the hospital being monitored for an irregular heartbeat but doctors expect him to be released and back to work tomorrow," Kay said in a statement. "He did not have a heart attack."

Toronto police Staff Sgt. Devin Kealey told the Canadian Press that officers were called to a downtown hotel with a report of a man with a medical condition shortly after 7 p.m. Monday.

Kealey confirmed the man was Mandel, and said he was conscious and breathing when officers arrived. Family members went with him to St. Michael's Hospital, Kealey said.

Mandel, who was born in Toronto, hosts the hourlong NBC game show "Deal or No Deal." His new hidden-camera prank show "Howie Do It!" premiered last week.

[Associated Press]

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