Patrick Swayze leaves Fired Up!

Mar 7, 2008, 13:35 GMT

Patrick Swayze - Oceana Celebrates 2004 Partners Award Gala - Arrivals - Esquire House - Beverly Hills, CA, USA © Lee Roth / RothStock / PR Photos

Patrick Swayze has pulled out of his new film.

The 'Dirty Dancing' actor - whose representative confirmed earlier this week he is battling pancreatic cancer - had previously decided to honour all work commitments, but producers of romantic comedy 'Fired Up!' have now confirmed he has quit the shoot.

A representative for the producers said: "Mr. Swayze withdrew from the film three weeks to a month ago."

Patrick - who was set to play a gay cheerleading instructor in the comedy - has also reportedly been ordered to quit smoking by his doctors, after they uncovered his three-packet-a-day habit.

Cancer specialists say the habit could have caused the deadly form of pancreatic cancer the 55-year-old is now suffering from.

Meanwhile, Patrick has been receiving support from his former co-stars and fellow Hollywood actors.

Whoopi Goldberg - who famously starred alongside Patrick in the hit 1990 film 'Ghost' - said she would never have been cast in the movie and subsequently won an Oscar for her role if it hadn't been for Patrick.

She said: "We want you to feel better - we'll talk soon, I hope. When I won my Academy Award for the film, the only person I really thanked was Patrick. When he first signed up to the film, he told the director Jerry Zucker, 'I'm not making this movie unless you put Whoopi Goldberg in there.' "

(C) BANG Media International