Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Lisa McLoughlin

Madonna seen for first time since hospitalisation walking around New York

Madonna has been spotted out and about in New York weeks after she was admitted to an intensive care unit following a “serious bacterial infection”.

In footage shared widely on social media, the 64-year-old was clad in navy shorts, a T-shirt and large floppy hat which she paired with oversized sunglasses, as she walked along a pavement.

Posting the video on Monday, journalist Lauren Conlin captioned it: “Madonna sighting!”

In the clip, Conlin added, “Guess who we saw out and about today looking great?”

The footage no doubt brought great relief to her fans less than two weeks after she was discharged from hospital following a “serious bacterial infection”.

The singer, 64, was reportedly found unconscious in New York last month, before being taken to hospital where she spent several days in ICU. Her family later said they “feared they would lose her”.

A source told CNN that Madonna had been taken to her home in New York in a private ambulance and was “in the clear”.

The star was forced to “pause” her upcoming 40th anniversary tour which was due to start next month, her manager said.

A relative told MailOnline: “For the past couple of days, no one really knew which direction this was going to turn, and her family was preparing for the worst.

“That is why it was kept a secret since Saturday. Everyone believed that we may lose her and that has been the reality of the situation.”

They added that the health scare has served as a wake-up call for the singer, saying Madonna “believes that she is invincible” and “has been wearing herself thin over the past couple of months”.

In the wake of her health scare, Madonna postponed her forthcoming Celebration tour, which had been scheduled to launch in Vancouver on July 15, and included four sold-out nights at London’s O2 Arena in October.

In a statement on Instagram on Wednesday, her manager Guy Oseary wrote: “On Saturday, June 24, Madonna developed a serious bacterial infection which led to a several-day stay in the ICU.

“Her health is improving, however she is still under medical care. A full recovery is expected. At this time we will need to pause all commitments, which includes the tour.

“We will share more details with you as soon as we have them, including a new start date for the tour and for rescheduled shows.”

The popstar had been preparing for her first ever greatest hits tour to celebrate the 40th anniversary of her breakout single, Holiday.

Organisers said Madonna: The Celebration Tour will take fans on her “artistic journey through four decades and pays respect to the city of New York where her career in music began”.

The tour had been due to begin in Europe following a spate of North America dates, finishing in Amsterdam on December 1. It is Madonna’s 12th concert tour.

The only UK date of the Celebration tour announced so far is on 14 October at the O2 Arena, though it is unclear if the date will be affected.

Madonna is the best-selling female artist in history, with around 335 million records sold.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.