NAMES IN THE NEWS : Billy Idol in Surgery Seven Hours

British rock star Billy Idol was recovering today after undergoing seven hours of surgery to repair a serious leg fracture suffered in a motorcycle accident, a hospital official said.

Idol, 34, nursing a “major break” of his right leg and a fractured left arm suffered in the accident Tuesday morning, remained in serious but stable condition at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, hospital spokesman Ron Wise said.

Ellen Golden, Idol’s publicist, said it is unclear how his injuries might affect his career.

Idol was planning a tour to support his new album and has a role in director Oliver Stone’s upcoming film about the 1960s rock group The Doors. The film is scheduled to begin shooting in three weeks.

Wise said Idol will probably be hospitalized for at least two weeks, recovering from injuries that took three orthopedic surgeons seven hours to repair.