George Michael axes tour as fears grown over his health

By Ben Todd and Tom Kelly


Ailing: Singer George Michael, pictured performing in Milan, Italy earlier this month, is recovering from pneumonia in Vienna


George Michael dramatically abandoned his current tour yesterday after doctors revealed he is battling a ‘severe’ form of pneumonia.

The 48-year-old singer was rushed to hospital with agonising chest pains hours before he was due to take the stage in front of thousands of fans in Vienna earlier this week.

A statement from his publicist last night stressed that he has pneumonia and said any other speculation regarding his illness was ‘unfounded and untrue’.

It added Michael had been told by doctors it was unclear how long he would take to recover and he could not continue with his Symphonica tour.

All 14 remaining dates have been postponed, including three concerts at Earl’s Court as a finale before Christmas.

Professor Dr Christoph Zielinski of the Medical University of Vienna, and Professor Dr Thomas Staudinger, specialist in internal medicine and intensive care medicine, said: ‘George Michael has severe community acquired pneumonia and is being treated as an inpatient.

‘His condition has stabilised and he is responding to treatment.

‘From the current point of view, the time until recovery cannot be estimated, but he will not be able to perform the rest of the tour. Besides medical treatment, complete rest and peace and quiet are mandatory.’

The Mail reported yesterday how the star had ‘woken up’ in hospital on Thursday, raising hopes for his health. But last night he was believed to still be strapped to a high-tech rotating bed used to help patients breathe in serious cases of pneumonia.

The futuristic bed mimics the body’s natural movements to improve blood flow and has equipment to reduce pressure on his lungs. Its rotations help to prevent complications caused by immobility, and the bed can also transform into a chair to enable medical staff to take X-rays.

Michael is believed to have fallen ill in his suite at Vienna’s exclusive Imperial Hotel on Monday.

After a doctor was called, he was immediately taken to the city’s Rudolfinerhaus private hospital.

Doctors later decided to transfer him to Vienna’s AKH hospital, which has the advanced specialist facilities to treat his illness.

He is being treated in a special ward at the hospital used by Austrian politicians and VIPs when they are seriously ill.

It was initially claimed he had a throat infection.

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Yesterday’s statement from Michael’s publicist said: ‘He is receiving excellent medical care; he is responding to treatment and slowly improving.

‘To ensure his complete well-being, George Michael’s doctors have advised that he cannot perform the rest of his Symphonica tour and that he instead takes a full and complete rest.

‘As a result, all of the British dates of the Symphonica European tour will be postponed.

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‘George was very much looking forward to bringing his tour back home and performing for his loyal and dedicated UK fan base.

‘Discussions and preparations are currently under way to arrange the rescheduled dates and further announcements will be made at the earliest opportunity. In the meantime, tickets holders are asked to retain their tickets.’

The latest cancellations come after Michael had to call off one of his concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London after being hit by a viral infection. That concert has now been rescheduled for next May.

The star – who rose to fame as the lead singer of Eighties pop group Wham! – last played a concert at the Festhalle in Frankfurt, Germany, last Saturday as part of the Symphonica tour.

He is believed to be dating celebrity hair stylist Fadi Fawaz after they were seen together on a balcony in Venice earlier this month.

Regular tweeter Michael has also been conspicuously absent from his Twitter page since November 17.

He announced the 65-show tour of Europe in May – three years after he said he would quit live performance.

At the time, the singer, who spent a month in prison for drug-driving last year, told a press conference: ‘I felt very re-energised after my recent troubles.

‘I felt it was really what I want to do as an artist.’


source:dailymail