Australian TV favourite Denise Drysdale is in hospital after being diagnosed with a condition that causes “unspeakable agony”.

Drysdale, who is a regular on the Ten Network’s Studio 10, was taken to hospital after falling ill last week.

Her friend, entertainment reporter Craig Bennett, explained her disappearance to viewers on Thursday. He said Drysdale, who is 72 and Queensland-based, had been in hospital for several days.

“You might’ve noticed you haven’t seen somebody on this couch or on this show for a little while,” he said.

“We’re talking Denise Drysdale.

“Why you’ve not seen her on the show for a little bit is because of this reason. Last week she was taken to hospital after suffering unspeakable agony that she described to me as a cross between being struck by a lightning bolt and a white hot poker.”

It turns out she’s suffering from a rare nerve disorder that affects the face. Trigeminal neuralgia, it’s called.”

Trigeminal neuralgia, also called tic douloureux, is a type of nerve pain. It usually presents as a sudden stabbing or shocking pain in the jaw or cheek.

Australian government websites say the condition – which “can be challenging to live with” – can be caused by a stroke, tumour or multiple sclerosis. But sometimes the cause cannot be found.

Bennett said he was speaking to the double Gold Logie-winner several times a day and her condition was improving.

“I know we all share in wishing our Denise Drysdale the speediest of recoveries. We need our regular dose of Ding Dong,” he said.

It’s not Drysdale’s first recent hospitalisation. In October 2020, she had surgery after “taking a tumble” – as also revealed by Bennett – on the set of a Channel Seven show.

Drysdale later confirmed that accident in a statement to News Ltd.

“Mummy has took a tumble and has broken one of her chicken wings,” she said.

“The hospital are taking good care of me.”