Pneumonia stops Elton John days before Townsville show

Superstar singer-songwriter Sir Elton John was forced to walk offstage due to illness in the middle of his show in New Zealand, throwing into doubt upcoming performances in Australia, including his concert scheduled for Townsville.

Superstar singer-songwriter Sir Elton John was forced to walk offstage due to illness in the middle of his show in New Zealand, throwing into doubt upcoming performances in Australia, including his concert scheduled for Townsville.

The 72-year-old Crocodile Rock singer began crying as he stood up from his piano and was assisted from the stage by a crew member at Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium on Sunday, having lost his voice due to walking pneumonia.

“I don’t know how much longer I can sing, I just don’t have anything left,” he told fans.

A statement from Sir Elton’s Australian promoter, Chugg Entertainment, said he was resting and doctors were confident he would recover.

“Elton John was disappointed and deeply upset at having to end his Auckland concert early,” the promoter’s statement said.

“At this stage, all remaining shows will go ahead as planned.”

The Townsville leg of the superstar’s epic Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour is for the opening of the new Queensland County Bank Stadium at the end of the month.

In a statement posted to Instagram, Sir Elton wrote: “I want to thank everyone who attended tonight’s gig in Auckland. I was diagnosed with walking pneumonia earlier (on Sunday), 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.”

Walking pneumonia is a milder form of the condition, which affects the small air sacs in the lungs.

The non-medical term has become a popular description because a person may still feel well enough to walk around.

Sir Elton is due to play two more shows in New Zealand before returning to Australia and continuing his mammoth 300-date Farewell Yellow Brick Road, what is said to be his last tour.

Tickets for the Townsville show start at $139 and are available through ticketmaster.com.au.

Originally published as Pneumonia stops Elton John days before Townsville show