Hollywood stars praise Burton hospital nurses

Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman were asked to send a message to the staff in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit

Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have praised nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit at a Staffordshire hospital.

They were asked by social media famous jacket potato seller Ben Newman - aka Spudman - to send a message to his "Spudwife" and colleagues who work at Queen's Hospital Burton.

Mr Newman was serving his potatoes at a screening in London to promote the pair's new Deadpool & Wolverine film when he asked them.

"This message is for Sarah and all the NICU nurses at Burton Hospital, you guys do amazing work, you are miracle workers, I love you so much," said Ryan Reynolds.

Hugh Jackman added: "what he said, you guys are incredible, we love you."

Mr Newman said he had wanted to ask, as the team in the special babycare unit had a hard job, and they had been "mega appreciative" of the message.

The actors had been "really nice, very polite," said Spudman, who had been hired by Disney to serve his potatoes ahead of the preview screening of Deadpool & Wolverine at the Eventim Apollo on Thursday.

Mr Newman’s popularity rocketed shortly after he began posting videos on TikTok to promote his business in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

Following his time with Hollywood stars, he said he was now "back to reality" trading in Tamworth.