Madonna has returned home and is “feeling better and following doctors’ orders” following her recent stay in intensive care. The 64-year-old US pop star is expected to make a “full recovery” but has had to “pause all commitments”, including delaying the start of her forthcoming tour.
On Friday, a source close to Madonna told the PA news agency: “She’s home, feeling better and following doctors’ orders.” She was due to begin Madonna: The Celebration Tour in Canada on July 15, but a new start date will now be announced in due course.
A statement from her manager Guy Oseary on Wednesday said: “On Saturday June 24, Madonna developed a serious bacterial infection which led to a several-day stay in the ICU (intensive care unit). Her health is improving, however she is still under medical care. A full recovery is expected.
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"At this time we will need to pause all commitments, which includes the tour. We will share more details with you soon as we have them, including a new start date for the tour and for rescheduled shows.”
The Celebration Tour will feature music from her catalogue across four decades, with dates previously announced for North America including stops in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Miami and Los Angeles. This will then follow on to Europe, with shows planned in some 11 cities, including London in October and December.
Billed as a “one-of-a-kind experience”, the tour is also set to feature special guest Bob the Drag Queen, real name Caldwell Tidicue, across all dates. She was due to begin the UK leg at London’s O2 Arena on October 14.
It will be her first tour since her Madame X shows, which ended in 2020, though some of these performances were called off due to knee and hip injuries. Following the news about her stay in the ICU, celebrities including Michelle Visage, Rita Wilson and Rosanna Arquette wrote messages wishing her a speedy recovery.
Often referred to as the Queen of Pop, Madonna has enjoyed a musical career spanning more than four decades, and has reportedly sold more than 300 million records worldwide. In 2022, the singer marked the 40th anniversary of her recording debut.
She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2008. On her 63rd birthday in 2021, the star announced a new music deal which will see her revisit some of her best-loved albums from her back catalogue.
It encompasses her 17 studio albums – including global hits such as Like A Virgin and Like A Prayer – plus singles, soundtrack recordings, live albums, and compilations. The deal also includes Madonna’s music produced under labels Sire, Maverick and Warner, along with her three most recent studio albums – MDNA, Rebel Heart, and Madame X – which will join the Warner catalogue from 2025.
