Catherine Zeta-Jones has been angered by a medical diagnosis of her husband, Michael Douglas, in which he was told he has stage four cancer of the throat.

Ms Zeta-Jones has told People magazine the doctors should have detected the disease sooner.

Douglas, a veteran of Hollywood movies and television, has said that he spent months seeking attention for serious throat and ear pain, only to be told nothing was wrong until August, when a walnut sized tumour was found at the base of his tongue.

Doctors then told him he would immediately need to undergo radiation and chemotherapy.

Zeta-Jones, another famous Hollywood figure, has been married to Douglas for 10 years.

They have two children together.

Douglas, making an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman on Tuesday, told the talk show host that although his cancer was late stage four, doctors had told him he has an 80% chance of recovery.