Zayn Malik cancels US tour and cuts UK dates after hospital bed photo shared

Naomi de SouzaBBC Newsbeat
News imageGetty Images Zayn Malik wears a leather jacket and a blue hat. He is singing into a red microphone on a red microphone stand. Getty Images
Zayn Malik was due to begin his biggest-ever solo tour later this month

Zayn Malik has cancelled his upcoming US solo tour and two UK arena shows after it emerged he had recently been admitted to hospital.

The former One Direction singer issued a statement on his Instagram page telling fans he had to take "another look" at his schedule.

He said he was working to be "better and stronger than before" but would have to reduce the number of shows on his upcoming Konnakol tour named after his latest album.

Malik has previously cancelled live dates over "extreme anxiety" but has not specified a cause for his latest cancellations.

The photo of Malik in hospital was shared on an official updates page two weeks ago.

A week later, a comment attributed to the singer was added, saying it had been a "long week" and he was still "unexpectedly recovering".

This was followed by the most recent post on his own Instagram account announcing the cancelled shows.

He thanked fans for their "prayers and well-wishes".

"I've felt it and it's meant the world," he said.

"I've been at home recovering and I'm doing well and will be better and stronger than before."

Glasgow and Dublin dates cancelled

In February, Malik announced that his biggest-ever solo tour would include 31 dates worldwide and kick off at Manchester's AO Arena on 12 May.

The rescheduled tour will now start on 23 May, with just nine dates.

Malik will now perform his first UK show at London O2 on 23 May, and play Manchester's AO the next day.

Shows in Glasgow, Birmingham and Dublin have been cancelled, but performances in Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Brazil are still due to go ahead.

Malik fan Morvan Dick told BBC Newsbeat she had tickets for the Glasgow show and was due to attend with her boyfriend.

"We had booked time off work to go, and a hotel," she said.

"I am actually devastated to be honest, gutted doesn't really cut it at this point.

"I have been a fan since day one so it's just a bucket list thing."

But Malik's "health comes first before anything", she added.

Customers who booked via Ticketmaster have been told refunds will be issued automatically, and tickets to the Manchester show will remain valid for the new date.

BBC Newsbeat has approached Zayn Malik's team for further comment.

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