Veteran British author Christopher Hitchens has pulled out of a show with Stephen Fry after he was diagnosed with pneumonia.

The two stars were set to stage an interview session at London's Royal Festival Hall on Wednesday (09Nov11), but Hitchens has cancelled his appearance after falling ill.

A post on the event's website reads, "There is good news and bad news. The bad news is that Christopher has pneumonia. The good news is he is on the mend, but he will be unable to join Stephen Fry in conversation. His voice isn't strong enough, although it should be in the next week or so."

Hitchens' health scare comes just a year after he axed a book tour to undergo chemotherapy after he was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer.

