Steven Tyler has relapsed on pain pills following foot surgery and has "voluntarily" checked into rehab, his Aerosmith bandmates have confirmed.
The band released a statement on Tuesday which revealed they have had to cancel their first set of Las Vegas residency dates in June and July to allow the 74-year-old musician to concentrate on his health and getting back on the path to recovery.
The statement, which was shared on social media, read: "As many of you know, our beloved brother Steven has worked on his sobriety for many years.
"We will continue our 2022 dates starting in September, and we'll let you know any further updates as soon as we can.
"We are devastated that we have inconvenienced so many of you, especially our most loyal fans who often travel great distances to experience our shows."
It concluded: "Thank you for your understanding and for your support for Steven during this time."
Fans were quick to respond to the news, with the majority sending the frontman their well-wishes.
One user wrote: "Recover well. We've seen all too often the results of talent not looked after properly. Lost money for a few isn't as severe as the loss of another icon. It's time the industry as a whole made sure artists were ok all the time. These are people, not cash machines."
Another penned: "Good for him, he's doing the right thing. Proud of you Steven. Battling addiction isn't easy as most people would think. It's the hardest thing you'll forever have to deal with, I know, cause I'm a recovering addict.. He has more balls then most people, most addicts would have."
And a third commented: "Praying for Steven's recovery. It is helpful to those battling with addiction to know that you can fall and pick yourself up and try again regardless of age. I believe in Steven and hope to be able to see the band rock on stage one day. Take whatever amount of time you need!"
Tyler has previously completed stints in rehab on a number of occasions - most recently in 2010 for "pain management and an addiction to prescription painkillers resulting from 10 years of performance injuries".
He also completed stints in 1984, 1986 and 1988.
The star was last publicly seen on April 3 when he attended a Grammy Awards viewing party in Hollywood.
*Frank offers confidential advice about drugs and addiction (email frank@talktofrank.com, message 82111 or call 0300 123 6600) or the NHS has information about getting help.
