Bonnie Tyler Emerges from Coma, Still Needs a Hero (and Intensive Care)
Bonnie Tyler wakes from induced coma after intestinal surgery, cancels summer shows, but doctors say she's on the mend - and fans are still holding out for a hero.
Welsh pop icon Bonnie Tyler is no longer in a coma but remains "very unwell" in intensive care at a hospital near her home in Faro, Portugal, according to a statement on her official website.
The 75-year-old singer underwent emergency intestinal surgery in May and was placed in an induced coma to aid her recovery. While doctors remain confident she will make a full recovery, the statement notes it is a "slow process."
All of her remaining shows scheduled for this summer have been cancelled, though organizers hope some autumn dates might still go ahead. The update came after Tyler's family expressed distress over what they called "lurid and untrue rumours" circulating about her health.
"Bonnie is no longer in a coma but remains very unwell and in intensive care in hospital in Portugal. Although her condition is improving it is a slow process," the statement said. "Her doctors remain confident that she will make a good recovery but it is going to take time."
The cancellation affects every show through the end of August. "At present we are still hopeful that our shows in the autumn will go ahead," the statement added, apologizing for the disappointment and thanking fans for their global outpouring of support.
Tyler, born Gaynor Hopkins, shot to international fame in the 1980s with "Total Eclipse of the Heart," which spent two weeks at UK No. 1 and four weeks atop the US charts in 1983. Other hits include "Holding Out for a Hero," "It's a Heartache," and "If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man)."
The Neath-born singer was discovered by a talent scout in Swansea and released her first single in 1976. She represented the UK in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden, with "Believe in Me," finishing 19th. In 2023, she was made an MBE for services to music.
She had been due to perform at the Sunshine festival in Worcester in August, along with several European dates, and remains booked for Cardiff's Utilita Arena on 17 December.
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