Jimmy Osmond, 55, has banned his brothers from visiting him after he suffered a stroke two months ago... leaving them unaware of his condition

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Jimmy Osmond won't let his brothers visit him after he suffered a stroke at Christmastime - leaving them in the dark about his current medical condition.

The performer - who rose to fame alongside his siblings as group The Osmonds - has, according to brother Merrill, requested they stay away while he recovers from the incident, having not seen any of them for two months.

Merrill, 65, told the Daily Express: 'He's hurting pretty bad. He's in the States but doctors won't even let the family in on it yet.

Staying away: Jimmy Osmond won't let his brothers visit him after he suffered a stroke at Christmastime - leaving them in the dark about his current medical condition

'The severity of it - none of us know. It's the way his family wants it. Jimmy has been through a lot and he just wants to be all by himself right now. We're all giving him space. It's just his wife and his children with him right now.'

The Osmonds featured brothers Jimmy and Merrill, alongside siblings Alan, Tom, Virl, Wayne, Jay, Donny and sister Marie. Of the brothers, only Jay and Merrill continue to perform.

Jimmy, 55, was reportedly doing better in January, after the stroke took place, mid-performance, during his stint in Peter Pan as Captain Hook.

The American star fell ill on stage at the Birmingham Hippodrome but still 'pushed through' the performance and signed autographs for fans at the stage door before being rushed to hospital.

Alone time: Jimmy [L] - who rose to fame alongside his siblings as group The Osmonds - has, according to brother Merrill [C], requested they stay away while he recovers from the incident, having not seen any of them for two months [also pictured brother Jay, R]

The Osmonds: The group featured Alan, Tom, Virl, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny, Jimmy and sister Marie

A source close to Jimmy told MailOnline at the time that he was comfortable after his second stroke in 15 years, adding: 'He has received the care he needs and is looking forward to a few months of self care.'

The father of four, who found fame as a child star in the Seventies as the youngest member of The Osmonds, was unable to perform again in the panto, which ended up running until January 27. Darren Day was drafted in as a replacement.

A spokesman for Osmond confirmed after the incident: ‘On the evening of Thursday December 27 after pushing through the evening’s performance, Jimmy Osmond was driven straight to hospital and diagnosed with a stroke.

‘He is grateful for all the well wishes and will be taking time out in the New Year.’

Osmond previously suffered a stroke 15 years ago when he was 40.

Soldiering on: Jimmy fell ill while he was playing Captain Hook but continued on with the performance until the end

He later told the Daily Mail how he had started having ‘vision-blurring headaches after months of working hard’. 

He said: ‘My wife Michelle took me to hospital and it was discovered I’d had a stroke – I didn’t have high cholesterol, high blood pressure or any other warning sign. An ultrasound scan showed I had a hole in my heart the size of a pound coin, which had contributed to the stroke because when my body was under stress, it was sending little blood clots up to my brain.’

The panto, which had opened on December 19 and also featured Kumars actress Meera Syal as a Magical Mermaid, was nine days into its run with Jimmy performing in matinee and evening shows. 

Including classic hits by The Osmonds, such as Crazy Horses reworded as Crazy Pirates, it had been earning rave reviews from critics. One called it ‘magical, mystical and mind-blowing’.

Birmingham Hippodrome’s artistic director and chief executive Fiona Allan said at the time: ‘Everyone here at Birmingham Hippodrome has been deeply saddened to hear of Jimmy’s sudden illness. He won the adoration not just of our audiences, but also of all our staff – we all send Jimmy and his family very best wishes...’

Success: Jimmy became the youngest singer to have a number one hit in the UK aged just nine

Nearest and dearest: Jimmy with wife Michelle Larson at the Osmond's 50th Anniversary after party in 2007

It was in 1972 that ‘Little’ Jimmy Osmond topped the charts for five weeks – aged just nine – with Long Haired Lover From Liverpool.

He has spoken of the special relationship he has always enjoyed with audiences in Britain, where in recent years he has appeared on I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here and other reality TV shows.  

Osmond is the youngest member of the sibling musical group the Osmonds. He began performing when he was aged just three years old and by  nine he was the youngest artist to have had a number one in the UK with his hit 'Long Haired Lover From Liverpool'.

The performer married Michelle Larson in 1992 and is a father to four children: Isabella Olive Renee Osmond, Arthur Wyatt Osmond, Sophia Michele Osmond and Zachary James Osmond. 

He is a member of the Latter Day Saint movement of Restorationist Christianity, the followers of which are commonly known as Mormons. 

Showman: He is a member of the Latter Day Saint movement of Restorationist Christianity, the followers of which are commonly known as Mormons 

His TV career saw him become a finalist on UK show Masterchef in 2016 and he also competed on the 2005 series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! 

He first suffered a stroke 15 years ago, when he discovered it was caused by a hole in his heart. Jimmy had been in Missouri recording his TV show Jimmy Osmond's American Jukebox when he was suddenly overcome with a blinding headache.

'It came on so fast and I could hardly see - it was as if I had tunnel vision,' he told Mail Online at the time. 'Somehow, I managed to get to the end of the show. How I drove home I have no idea and I should not have done it because I couldn't even see the lines in the middle of the road, but I was desperate to get back to my family and go to bed.

'The following morning I tried to get up, but felt so dizzy that I fell over. My vision was still bad and this terrible headache was gnawing away right at the base of my skull.'

Fan fave: The star has previously spoken of how his first stroke was revealed to be the result of a heart defect 

He thought it was a severe migraine but his wife drove him to the local hospital where doctors advised him to have a brain scan.

The tests revealed he had suffered a stroke caused when small clots break off, temporarily blocking the blood flow in small vessels, which leaves part of the brain without oxygen for a few minutes.

Doctors found Jimmy had what's called a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) - a hole the size of a pound coin in his heart.

It was a birth defect but had gone undetected because Jimmy previously had no signs of possible heart problems.

Merrill, 65, told the Daily Express: 'He's hurting pretty bad. He's in the States but doctors won't even let the family in on it yet

'My doctor explained that over time, tiny blood clots that he described as 'particles' had travelled from my heart to my brain, forming a large clot, and this is what had caused the stroke.

'He warned me that unless I had emergency surgery to close the hole then I was at risk of having another stroke.'

'I remember being on the trolley saying goodbye to Michelle and the kids, then just before I went under the anaesthetic, a doctor came waving a liability form for me to sign, saying, 'I have to tell you that this procedure could take your life', which didn't help matters at all.

'The operation, which lasted about an hour, was straightforward but the recovery was painful. Afterwards I spent a week in hospital until I was fit and able to go home.'

Unknown: 'The severity of it - none of us know. It's the way his family wants it. Jimmy has been through a lot and he just wants to be all by himself right now. We're all giving him space. It's just his wife and his children with him right now,' Merrill said

Jimmy went on to play at the Genting Arena in Birmingham in 2017, part of his first solo tour of the UK in four years as he celebrated 50 years in showbusiness. 

His mother Olive died in 2004 at the age of 79 from a massive stroke and it's now thought it was caused by an undiagnosed hole in her heart.

As the defect was suspected to be genetic, Jimmy's eight siblings, his children, nephews and nieces have all been checked.

Results have showed three of Jimmy's brothers, two of his nephews and his daughter Bella all had the same condition.

They have all have operations except Bella, who was a baby at the time. Because she had such a tiny hole, doctors said it was best to let it close on its own, which it did.

'I still cannot believe that I never had any symptoms as a child,' Jimmy said. 'Doctors say there are few, if any at all.' 

Who are the Osmonds? The Utah-born siblings from devout Mormon family who shot to stardom in the 1960s 

Jimmy, the youngest Osmond, was born in California, and not Utah like his other siblings

By Sophie Law for MailOnline 

Jimmy Osmond, 55 - Jimmy, the youngest Osmond, was born in California, and not Utah like his other siblings. 

He was the youngest artist to top the UK singles chart aged nine with his 1972 hit, Long Haired Lover from Liverpool.

He went on to perform in theatre and film, as well as record music.

Alan Osmond, 69 - The eldest of the band and its self-described leader and founder, the father of eight has retired from performing and is currently battling multiple sclerosis. Alan (below, far-right), like all the Osmonds, is a devout Mormon.

Wayne Osmond, 67 - Mostly a guitarist and singer, Wayne (pictured, below, on the far-right) also can play the flute, clarinet, saxophone, violin, banjo, piano, drums, and bagpipe. 

The former musician was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 1997. Though it was successfully treated, he announced his retirement from performing afterward. Wayne married former Miss Utah of 1974 Kathlyn White and they have five children together.

Merrill Osmond, 65 - Following the break-up of The Osmonds, Merrill (below, centre-stage) bassist enjoyed a successful solo career. He was knighted by the Order of St Michael of the Wing and the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem. 

Last year he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humanities from Dixie State University. He married Mary Carlson in 1973 and they have four sons and 15 grandchildren.

Jay Osmond, 63 - Formally the band's drummer, Jay (pictured, below, farthest left) split from wife Kandilyn in 2011. He married Karen Randall in  2014. Tragically his step-granddaughter London Brise Mortensen died aged 7 in 2014. 

The Osmonds began their career when Jay and the brothers would sing barbershop music in their hometown. Jay is the main choreographer for the Osmonds' concerts and some television concerts.

Donny Osmond, 61 - The singer (below) became a teenage idol with The Osmonds' Puppy Love hit in 1972. 

He went on to have a successful film and television career - guesting as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing in 2014, in 1974, Donny's sister, Marie, started performing with the brothers and Donny recorded duets with her. 

In the 1990s, he toured as Joseph in 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' which enjoyed great success for almost a decade.