SIR Elton John has postponed gigs in Belfast and Dublin after suffering a hip injury in a fall.
The singer (74) said it was "with great sadness and a heavy heart" that he been forced to reschedule the remaining dates of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour to 2023, including shows at Belfast's SSE Arena and Dublin's 3Arena.
The shows had been due to run last year and were to be his last UK dates before retiring from touring. But they were postponed by a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and will now be pushed back again to 2023.
In a statement, he said: "At the end of my summer break I fell awkwardly on a hard surface and have been in considerable pain and discomfort in my hip ever since.
"Despite intensive physio and specialist treatment, the pain has continued to get worse and is leading to increasing difficulties moving.
"I have been advised to have an operation as soon as possible to get me back to full fitness and make sure there are no long-term complications.
"I will be undertaking a program of intensive physiotherapy that will ensure a full recovery and a return to full mobility without pain."
Sir Elton said he will still perform at Global Citizen Live, a charity event taking place across multiple cities on September 25, "as I don’t want to let a charity down".
"Being just five songs it’s a very different physical undertaking to the demands of playing for close to three hours every night on tour and travelling overnight between countries," he added.
He added that he would be undergoing an operation to "ensure the tour can get back on the road".
"I know how patient my incredible fans have been since Covid halted touring last year, and it breaks my heart to keep you waiting any longer," he said.
"I completely feel your frustrations after the year we’ve had. I promise you this - the shows will return to the road next year and I will make sure they are more than worth the wait."
Ticketholders of the rescheduled performances will receive new event information shortly and all original tickets will be honoured at the rescheduled performances.
The tour will recommence in January 2022 in New Orleans and run until the summer 2023.
