Olly Murs makes defiant return to the stage after being forced to axe gigs
Olly Murs is back in action after an unexpected bout of illness forced him to cancel a string of shows.
The pop star, 41, has been performing across the country with his 15 Years of Hits Tour, supported by boy band Blue and celebrating his music career since rising to fame on The X Factor in 2009.
However, disaster struck on Thursday night when Olly had to abandon his gig in Glasgow midway through, having performed for just 20 minutes before making a crushing announcement to the packed arena.
The Dear Darlin' hitmaker told the crowd: 'My voice has gone.'
Just after battling through Kiss Me Like You Mean It, he explained to the OVO Hydro crowd: 'This has never happened to me before, but you can hear my voice is going.'
Olly apologised profusely, promising refunds and admitting he wouldn't want to carry on and risk 'ruining' the show for those who paid to see him.
'That's so unlike me, so I just wanna say sorry from the bottom of my heart,' he added.
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* Open to legal residents of Great Britain (excluding Northern Ireland) aged 18 or over. Promotion opens at 06:01 BST on 13 May 2025 and closes at 23:59 BST on 25 May 2025. The promotion is free to enter; however internet access is required. Entrant must visit https://metro.co.uk/2025/05/02/win-a-pair-of-music-festival-wristbands-worth-99-to-sxsw-london-23014181/ and when prompted by the form, submit their name, email, telephone number, date of birth and postcode. Acceptance of the terms and conditions (by ticking the relevant checkbox) is necessary to enter the promotion. 1 entry per person. 1 prize available per person. There will be two (2) winners. Each winner will win two (2) Full Week (6 days) Music Festival Wristbands (each such wristband worth £99) granting secondary access to Official SXSW London Music Festival showcases valid from 2 until 7 June 2025. Proof of age and photographic ID is required for entry (18+). The prize, including entry and attendance at SXSW, is subject to and governed by the SXSW's full ticket terms and conditions here. Full T&Cs apply, see here.
The next day, Olly had more bad news for his millions of followers, taking to Instagram to confirm he had to cancel his concerts in Manchester and Birmingham this weekend.
'I have contracted a respiratory infection and have been instructed to go on a strict 48 hour voice rest by the doctor to ensure no further damage to my vocal chords [sic]', his caption read.
'I've been having the best time on this tour and I'm so sorry to let my fans down, I'm hoping to be fighting fit in a few days to finish this amazing 15 year celebratory tour with a bang.'
Stars including Alexandra Burke and Duncan James wished Olly well after he admitted scrapping his gigs was 'hurting big time' since he loves performing so much.
But thankfully, tonight he was back with a vengeance, having teased the gig in the iconic venue hours earlier on social media.
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Taking to Insta with a snap outside the O2, an excitable Olly wrote: 'It's. Not. Over. Yet!! 🙌🏻 😎 o2 I'm here! See you tonight ✌🏻'
He was quickly inundated with supportive messages, with @jessbellmon commenting: 'So glad you're feeling better ❤️ tonight is gonna be special 🤪'
'Glad youre feeling better!! Have a great show tonight ❤️', echoed @mica_sky.
'He's back!! Never doubted ya! Hope you're feeling better Murs – smash it tonight 🥳🥳🥳', wrote @chloe.louise.johnston.
Olly also took to his Story after soundchecking the show, saying in a video message: 'I can't tell ya how mad it's been the last 48 hours, 60 hours, since Glasgow.
'Obviously, it's not been great, but I've been voice-resting, I've been dosing up on all my tablets, and getting as much into me as possible, all my vitamins, and I've just completed soundcheck, everything's sounding great, I'm feeling great, and I'm back in this gorgeous arena, arguably one of the best in the world. More Trending
'Can't wait for tonight. Thanks for all the love and the support from everyone. Again, really sorry about the last few shows, but I'm feeling great tonight. I'm back, my voice is back, and it's not over yet!'
The Troublemaker singer will now be hoping to maintain his tip-top health to complete a run of summer shows, performing in Brighton next week before upcoming gigs at various festivals.
He previously took on a tough training regime ahead of the tour, telling wife Amelia – who is pregnant with their second child together – that he wanted to get into the 'best shape of his life' before hitting the road.
Olly then wowed his fans with his transformation, having truly bulked up and toned his physique with the help of a personal trainer for 12 weeks.
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MORE: Women prefer Olly Murs before, men prefer after — this is why
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