One of the sources said Berlusconi had been hospitalised for medical checks.

Berlusconi, 86, was discharged from hospital last month after six weeks of treatment for a lung infection linked to a chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia.

Berlusconi’s health has markedly deteriorated in recent years, with open-heart surgery in 2016 and numerous hospital admissions since contracting Covid-19 three years ago.

He served as prime minister in 1994-1995, 2001-2006 and 2008-2011 and although he doesn’t have a direct role in government, his Forza Italia party is a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing coalition.

Shares in MFE-MediaForEurope, which is controlled by the Berlusconi family, extended gains after the news and were trading up over 2% around 1.42pm.