Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb has woken from a coma after more than a week and begun to show signs of recovery.
The BBC quoted a family spokesperson as saying he was able to nod and communicate.
Gibb, 62, fell into a coma after getting pneumonia in his battle against colon and liver cancer.
His family held a constant vigil at his bedside in hospital in London with his brother Barry singing to him.
Gibb had surgery on his bowel 18 months ago for an unrelated condition, but a tumour was discovered and he was diagnosed with cancer of the colon and later of the liver.
He last performed on stage at the London Palladium in February, at a charity concert for wounded servicemen and women.
But he was too ill to attend last week's premiere of his latest work The Titanic Requiem, a classical piece composed with his son to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ship's sinking.
