Sir Elton John will continue his tour – despite having walking pneumonia.
The ‘I’m Still Standing’ hitmaker was forced to halt his gig in Auckland, New Zealand, over the weekend after he lost his voice mid-way through his performance but, despite his on-going health battle, he has no plans to cancel the remaining dates of his ‘Farewell’ tour in Australia and New Zealand.
A statement from promoters Chugg Entertainment was released on Monday (17.02.20) and said: "At this stage, all remaining shows will go ahead as planned.
"Elton John was disappointed and deeply upset at having to end his Auckland concert early last night."
The 72-year-old singer disappointed the audience at Mount Smart Stadium on Sunday night (16.02.20) when he told fans he had to leave the stage.
He said: "I’ve just completely lost my voice. I can’t sing. I’ve got to go. I’m sorry."
He later took to Instagram to post an emotional statement, revealing he had been diagnosed with walking pneumonia – an informal term for pneumonia that isn’t severe enough to require bed rest or hospitalisation – earlier in the day but had been "determined" to get on stage and sing for his fans.
He wrote on Instagram: "I want to thank everyone who attended tonight’s gig in Auckland. I was diagnosed with walking pneumonia earlier today, but I was determined to give you the best show humanly possible. I played and sang my heart out, until my voice could sing no more. I’m disappointed, deeply upset and sorry. I gave it all I had. Thank-you so much for your extraordinary support and all the love you showed me during tonight’s performance. I am eternally grateful. Love, Elton xx (sic)"
Elton has had a number of health scares over the years and had previously revealed he was "24 hours from death" when he contracted an infection after surgery for prostate cancer back in 2017, where fluid was leaking from his lymph nodes.
He said: "I was incredibly lucky – although, I have to say, I didn’t feel terribly lucky at the time. I lay awake all night, wondering if I was going to die. In the hospital, alone at the dead of night, I’d prayed: Please don’t let me die, please let me see my kids again, please give me a little longer … They took a sample of the infection … it was much more serious than they’d first realised. There were MRI scans and God knows how many other procedures. The doctors told David I was 24 hours away from death. If the South American tour had gone on for another day that would have been it: brown bread.’"
Elton is due to play two more shows in Auckland this week, before he will return to Australia to kickstart another round of gigs from February 22.
Sir Elton John plans to complete tour
