COMEDIAN Rik Mayall's wife last night spoke of her hopes of his recovery as she kept vigil at his hospital bedside.
Although Rik, 39, was in intensive care after a quad bike accident at his country home his condition was described as "stable".
And Barbara Mayall, who has been at the madcap funnyman's bedside since the accident on Thursday, said: "We will have to wait and see. But we are very hopeful."
Rik had been flown to hospital in Plymouth by police helicopter after the crash at his country retreat in South Devon.
He is understood to have serious head injures and was last night under heavy sedation in a neurological ward. A hospital spokeswoman said: "He is seriously ill.
"But he is stable and his condition is not giving any immediate cause for concern." She added: "He is being closely monitored."
Millionaire Young Ones star Rik was riding across a steeply sloping field on his farm in East Allington when the accident happened.
Barbara raised the alarm after finding him lying unconscious when she went out to see why the noise of the quad bike's engines had stopped.
An ambulance was first on the scene, but a paramedic was so concerned by his injuries he called in the police helicopter - used when the cash-strapped Devon Air Ambulance does not fly.
The couple, who have been married for 12 years, have three children, Rosie, 11, Sidney, nine, and two-year-old Bonnie, who were last night being comforted by relatives.