Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) have cancelled their planned farewell performance on Sunday (13 July) at BST Hyde Park, the band have confirmed.
The rock band, best known for their hit song “Mr Blue Sky”, were due to headline the final day of the London festival but cancelled at the last minute, after they were also forced to cancel their Manchester show at the Co-Op Live Arena.
In a statement released on social media, the group explained: “Jeff Lynne is heartbroken to report that he will not be able to perform at tomorrow’s BST Hyde Park show.
“Jeff has been battling a systemic infection and is currently in the care of a team of doctors who have advised him that performing is simply not possible at this time nor will he be able to reschedule.
“The legacy of the band and his longtime fans are foremost in Jeff’s mind today -- and while he is so sorry that he cannot perform, he knows that he must focus on his health and rehabilitation at this time.”
Fans are encouraged to visit the BST Hyde Park website to seek a refund.
A spokesperson for the festival organisers had previously vowed that the concert was going ahead, issuing a statement that said there were “no concerns” regarding ELO’s planned performance.
It was later announced that the entire Sunday event would not go ahead.
“Following the news that Jeff Lynne's ELO will not be able to perform at BST Hyde Park due to medical reasons, Sunday 13 July's event will sadly be cancelled,” the statement from festival organisers said.
“Ticket holders will be refunded and contacted directly by their ticket agent with further details.”
Fans were told that the gig in Manchester would not be going ahead due to illness moments before the support act was supposed to take to the stage. The concert, part of the ELO “Over and Out” tour, was supposed to mark the group’s penultimate live show.
Fans who attended Lynne’s ELO’s first performance in Manchester on Wednesday (9 July) claimed that the star looked unwell.
While on stage, Lynne, 77, said that he had recently injured his hand in an incident involving a taxi, meaning he could not perform with a guitar.
The band was founded in Birmingham in 1970 by frontman Lynne and keyboardist Roy Wood.
Wood later left the group and was replaced by Richard Tandy, who had been the bassist but became the keyboardist until he died last year at the age of 76.
The group, who split in 1986, is known for fusing classical music, Beatles-style pop and futuristic rock visuals. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
They are behind the Seventies and Eighties hits “Livin’ Thing”, “Mr Blue Sky”, “Telephone Line” and “Evil Woman”.
Singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer Lynne reformed the band in 2014 and they released the album From Out Of Nowhere in 2019.
The album reached number one on the UK albums charts, joining their albums Discovery (1979), Time (1981) and their compilation album, All Over the World: The Very Best Of Electric Light Orchestra (2005).
ELO also had a number of top 10 songs in the UK singles charts, including “Don’t Bring Me Down”, “Hold On Tight” and “Shine A Little Love”.
Lynne was made an OBE in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to music, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015.
Additional reporting by PA.
