How to get a refund for Sam Smith's cancelled AO Arena…

How to get a refund for Sam Smith's cancelled AO Arena show following abrupt ending

Sam Smith has cancelled the remainder of their UK tour following an abrupt ending to the Manchester leg of their Gloria tour on Wednesday evening.

The 'Unholy' singer cancelled their last two shows in Birmingham and Glasgow earlier today due to a 'vocal cord injury'. Doctors have urged the Brit Award winner to rest their vocals - amid fears of 'permeant damage to their voice'.

It comes as Sam suddenly left the stage at the AO Arena in Manchester last night after only four songs. Fans were left wondering what had happened, with some speculating that a power cut or technical issue had occurred.

The singer, 31, issued a short statement on Instagram shortly after coming off stage, explaining they could not continue the performance after noticing 'something was really wrong' with their voice. Following last night's event and in light of the three cancelled gigs, fans had asked whether the gigs would be rescheduled again, or whether they would receive a full refund.

In a statement posted to Sam Smith's Instagram stories this lunchtime, it said: "Due to vocal issues during last night's Manchester performance, regrettably we will be cancelling the rescheduled Birmingham and Glasgow Sam Smith shows. Refunds will be available at the point of purchase for all three dates; Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow.

"A spokesperson said 'doctors have advised due to a vocal cord injury, Sam must have complete vocal rest. Sam is heartbroken to have had to cancel these shows but they have been told by doctors that if they keep singing, they will do permanent damage to their voice.

Sam Smith shares update on shows following abrupt end to Manchester gig (Sam Smith (Instagram))

"If they take some rest they will be able to perform again." Sam added a note on top of the story saying: "I'm so sorry."

Fans have been reassured that refunds will be available at the point of purchase for last night's Manchester show, as well as cancelled shows in Glasgow and Birmingham, which were due to take place on May 25 and May 27. Those who booked tickets through The Ticket Factory at Birmingham's Resorts World Arena, are being urged to contact customer services via an online form or call 0333 300 3010.

The AO Arena and other ticket platforms who were selling tickets for the Manchester date have not issued specific information on refunds online, but do have refund request sections available on their websites. Meanwhile, the online ticketing platform Skiddle has offered advice to fans who have been impacted by the cancelled shows.

Lisa Braithwaite, music expert at Skiddle said: "The news of Sam Smith abandoning of their UK Gloria Tour, due to vocal difficulties, comes after admitting they had been fighting a virus in recent weeks.

“It's a worrying period for the industry, with the knock-on effects of these cancellations being felt not only by the fans themselves but the venues and the dedicated teams of staff who operate them.

"It has been reported that refunds for cancelled shows have been notoriously hard to come by. If you have a ticket and seek a refund, our guidance would be to check any advice posted by your ticket provider online and to speak with them directly, to find out what your options are."