LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 03: Bonnie Tyler performs on stage during Music For The Marsden 2020 at The O2 Arena on March 03, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
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Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler has emerged from an induced coma following emergency surgery in Portugal, though she remains in intensive care and is still considered “very unwell.”
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The 75-year-old artist, best known for her 1983 smash hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, was rushed to hospital in Faro in May after undergoing emergency intestinal surgery. Doctors placed Tyler in an induced coma to aid her recovery.
In a statement shared via her official website, Tyler’s team confirmed that her condition is gradually improving.
“Bonnie is no longer in a coma but remains very unwell and in intensive care in hospital in Portugal,” the statement read. “Although her condition is improving it is a slow process.” The statement added that Tyler’s doctors remain optimistic about her recovery, despite the lengthy rehabilitation expected ahead.
“Her doctors remain confident that she will make a good recovery but it is going to take time.”
As a result of her ongoing recovery, Tyler’s planned summer tour dates will either be postponed or cancelled. Her team said there remains hope that some autumn performances may still proceed, depending on her health.
“We apologise to all of Bonnie’s fans and to our promoter partners for the disappointment that this will cause but trust that you will understand and bear with us in these difficult circumstances,” the statement continued. “We hope to see you next year instead.”
Representatives also thanked fans around the world for their support, noting that Tyler is aware of the messages she has received and is grateful for the well-wishes.
Born Gaynor Hopkins in Neath, Wales, Tyler rose to international fame throughout the late 1970s and 1980s. After first breaking through with “Lost in France” in 1977, she achieved global superstardom with “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” which topped charts on both sides of the Atlantic and became one of the defining power ballads of the decade.
The song continues to resonate with new generations of listeners, surpassing one billion streams on Spotify more than four decades after its release.
Throughout her career, Tyler earned multiple Grammy nominations and represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in 2013. In 2023, she was appointed an MBE in recognition of her services to music.