Tony Bennett Reluctantly Made To Cancel Sell Out Lady Gaga Show On Doctor’s Orders
Having been struck down with a serious case of the flu, legendary jazz performer Tony Bennett has been forced to cancel a sell-out London show performing alongside co-star Lady Gaga.
The news of the cancellation comes only one day after Bennett and Gaga performed a charity show from their album “Cheek to Cheek,” in a bid to raise money and awareness for non-profit organisation WellChild. The show, held at the Royal Albert Hall, had Tony and Gaga performing jazz numbers before multiple big name guests, including charity patron Prince Harry.
Despite reluctance, Bennett was advised to follow doctor’s orders and cancel the show in order to take the necessary time to recover. Tony reached out to deliver the disappointing news to dedicated fans over Twitter.
Sorry to not be singing in London tonight. I love my fans in the UK and appreciate all the well wishes to get over this flu quickly.
— Tony Bennett (@itstonybennett) June 9, 2015
While speculation regarding Bennett’s illness was a flurry online, publicists have dismissed the rumour that the star suffered a heart attack, insisting that 88-year-old Tony is simply suffering a bout of flu that has resulted in loss of voice.
Following this, Lady Gaga used her own platform to reassure fans that Bennett was doing just fine, and confirm that she and Tony will be returning to the stage for the show illness forced the pair to cancel.
Hey everybody! Don't worry about Tony, he's ok! That's just showbiz sometimes. We'll catch u next time, we got you! ??
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) June 9, 2015
Word from Hyperactive Publicity, who represents Bennett, explained that promoters Live Nation had confirmed cancellation of the show. However, plans were being made in order to reschedule the event. The official statement disclosed, “Unfortunately, Tony Bennett has come down with a flu virus which has prevented him from performing the second of two sold-out shows in London.”
“Ticket holders are instructed to retain their tickets to this event pending more information. Fans who have purchased tickets online will be notified via the ticket outlets as soon as additional information is available.”
The news of Tony’s cancellation and illness could be a tough pill to swallow for many fans of the pair. Both Bennett and Gaga have their own dedicated fanbases, with Gaga’s “Little Monsters” having a reputation of being some of the more vocal groups in the industry. However, their unique brand of jazz duet performances has evoked an entirely new dedicated following for both Bennett and Gaga as a unit.
As Bennett is introduced to a whole new audience, cemented in modernity and up-to-date pop culture, Gaga certainly borrows from Tony’s timeless gravitas and class, conjuring a fresh and mutually beneficial relationship for each performer individually.
This unlikely, yet startlingly en vogue, couple have received an incredible response to their distinguished “Cheek to Cheek” album, with their sell-out tour receiving outstanding reviews. For now, ticket holders await further information regarding the pending status of a replacement show date.
[Image credit: Michael Tran / Getty Images]
