Tiger King star Joe Exotic has been hospitalised after testing positive for coronavirus while in prison in Texas.

The 57-year-old - currently serving a 22-year sentence for charges of animal abuse and murder for hire - shot to fame recently through the Netflix series.

Joe's current husband Dillon Passage, 24, confirmed that he had been moved to hospital after a number of cases were reported at his jail facility.

"We speak like three to five times every day, but since he's been moved to this new facility, they are putting him on a Covid-19 isolation because of the previous jail he was at, there were cases," Passage told US entertainment reporter Andy Cohen.

"I've yet to speak to him since he moved."

Prior to his diagnosis, Joe was in the process of seeking a presidential pardon from Donald Trump.