"THE strength of our society is how we treat our weakest members, if we can't look after them what are we doing?"

Those are the words of comedian Johnny Vegas after an emotional outburst on the Channel 4 programme The Last Leg about his feelings on the threat of NHS privatisation.

Johnny, whose real name is Michael Pennington, grew up in Thatto Heath and is a passionate supporter of the NHS and local hospices, particularly after the death of his dad Laurence Pennington last year.

After a discussion on healthcare on the Channel 4 programme on Friday, June 22 and ahead of the NHS's 70th anniversary, he said: "It’s like buying you a tricycle and buying your brother a brand new Mercedes.

"It’s private healthcare they don’t care, they never have, they want to privatise it and make money off it.

"I get really upset on this one, it really offends me it’s given me years with my parents, not all of those years happy, my mum can nag, but they can have give us years of valuable life and they don’t care about it.

"They pretend to care about it, it’s always a PR release, it will always be something to just keep us quietly happy until they can get rid.

"It genuinely upsets me to see those moments of them going we are doing this, you're not doing it, you're doing nothing.

"It’s the people that work within it so hard and the patience they have, the care that they give.

"I understand there is issues that have come out this week but personally all I can say is if we don’t fight for the NHS we lose ourselves as well."

Hundreds of people took to social media to commend Johnny on speaking out on the issue.

Speaking to the Star about the reaction, Johnny said: "I didn't say anything to make a big fuss, I'm not saying this to raise my Twitter profile or anything, it's something I feel very passionately about.

"I'm not a spokesperson and I'm not running for office or want anything, I'm just saying what I feel and saying my bit about an important thing facing us as a society but I'm glad most people agree with me.

"My personal experience with the NHS is that it's given me far more years with the people I care about the most.

"I'm not political vocally, but I think that the Government do not consider how their decisions, with their private health care, affects working class communities that depend on the NHS.

"The NHS is more important than many think, you cannot put a price on what it provides.

"When I've seen people treated and cared for by staff that put every care into what they do in the NHS, I can't really place a price tag on that.

"We all take it for granted, we are the envy of the world for our NHS and we should be proud of it.

"Look at what Obama tried to do by making free healthcare, when he tried to put it in place people would not have it.

"The strength of our society is how we treat our weakest members, if we can't look after them what are we doing?

"The staff and hospitals are under funded and under provided but they still work really hard to provide for people and offer them the correct care.

"It keeps me up at night thinking that years from now, when I'm no longer here, my son may not get the treatment he needs, if he needs it, because our NHS is no more.

"We should all go to London and campaign for a fairer treatment because this should not be privatised."

Johnny then went on to thank Whiston Hospital for the support and care they have given to his family.

He added: "I would once again like to extend my gratitude to Whiston Hospital because every time we've needed them they have answered the call.

"It's a debt I can never repay, my dad is no longer with us but they cared for him and now my mum, and I'm so bewildered as to how those staff remain that lovely and professional day in and day out."