Morgan Freeman missed a press trip this week after catching a "contagious infection".

The 86-year-old actor didn't make it over for the scheduled trip to the UK to promote his new Paramount+ series 'Special Ops: Lioness' - in which he stars alongside Nicole Kidman and Zoe Saldana - after contracting an unspecified illness.

A representative told MailOnline: "Morgan has a fever and his doctor felt he had a contagious infection, so he cancelled his trip. He is fine now."

He didn't appear alongside his co-stars on BBC programme 'The One Show', while Nicole and Zoe have also attended a photocall at Savoy Place and a screening at the Tate Britain.

The spy thriller series - which is inspired by a real CIA programme - follows marine Joe (Zoe) who tries to balance her personal and work life as she leads the way on the organisation's war on terror.

Morgan has been cast as US secretary of state Edwin Mullins, and Nicole plays the CIA's senior supervisor Kaitlyn Meade.

The show is set to premiere on July 23 with the first two episodes available at launch, with one episode due to be released each week until the finale on September 3.

Meanwhile, 'The Shawshank Redemption' star Morgan previously claimed his fame has left him "screwed" when it comes to being a character actor.

He told the Sunday Times newspaper: "When my career started in film I wanted to be a chameleon. I remember De Niro early on, doing very different parts. Almost unrecognisable as the same actor.

“I had opportunities like that. But as you mature in this business, eventually you become a star.

“Then you’re pretty screwed in terms of referring to yourself as a character actor. You play a lot of the same type of role – people hire you and say, ‘It’s you that I want.’ And you live with it.”