Amanda Holden in intensive care after giving birth

Amanda Holden photographed last November (Rex Features)

The husband of TV star Amanda Holden has told of his gratitude to medical staff who brought the Britain's Got Talent judge back from the brink.

Holden, 40, gave birth to her second child on Monday but spent three days in a critical condition.

The actress is now stable after being treated in an intensive care unit but is expected to take a while to recover.

Chris Hughes, married to Holden since 2008, has been with her since she was admitted to hospital on Monday morning and is indebted to the medical team.

A spokeswoman for the couple said: "Chris would like to thank all the medical staff and everyone who has been involved in Amanda's care."

Her new daughter, Hollie Rose Hughes who weighed in at just over 6lbs, is said to be healthy. But no details of 40-year-old Holden's condition have been released, but she is expected to make a full recovery.

The TV favourite, who had been due to be on the BGT panel at auditions this week, already has a daughter, Lexi. But complications during that pregnancy with a low lying placenta meant she gave birth by Caesarean section.

The couple's spokeswoman said no further details about Holden's medical condition would be released until the star herself gave the go-ahead.

"Until Amanda is in a position to indicate what she wants to say, there's no more information I can give," she said.

She is thought to have suffered considerable blood loss - one of the most common complications during childbirth - which would necessitate a transfusion.

Holden is thought to have been in good health throughout this pregnancy, but has had difficulties in the past.

There was heartbreak just under a year ago when she lost a child seven months into a pregnancy.

And in 2010 she suffered the ordeal of a miscarriage.

There was drama just days after Holden went public about her latest pregnancy.

She was involved in a collision with a lorry in September which left her vehicle a write-off.

But she told her fans on Twitter that the baby had been unaffected by the crash, and thanked a "Good Samaritan" for getting her to hospital for a health check.

The ordeal forced her to miss some performances of Shrek The Musical, in which she was starring at the time.

She left the production shortly afterwards to concentrate on her pregnancy and Girls Aloud singer Kimberley Walsh took over as Princess Fiona.

Holden - who has starred in TV's Cutting It and has had West End stage acclaim for her role in a revival of Thoroughly Modern Millie - married music producer Hughes in 2008.

She had previously been married to comic and actor Les Dennis.

Holden's health worries came to light on Tuesday when she was absent from the Britain's Got Talent audition in Blackpool.

She had been due to join fellow judges Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams on the panel at the seaside town.

PA