Meat Loaf 'ready' to resume tour

Meat Loaf's comments were attributed to 'exhaustion and stress'

Staff at the NEC in Birmingham have told the BBC that singer Meat Loaf will perform at the venue later as planned.

The 60-year-old performer - who cut short a concert in Newcastle earlier this week - was expected to arrive at 1600 GMT for sound checks.

Reports that he had told the audience it would be his final concert caused widespread concern and alarm.

But his tour promoters later released a statement saying the singer had merely been suffering from exhaustion.

"As far as we are concerned the show in Birmingham is on as planned," they said.

Meat Loaf - born Marvin Lee Aday - was about an hour into his performance at the Metro Radio Arena in Wednesday when he abruptly stopped, thanked the audience and left the stage.

'Last show'

Several audience members told the BBC he had described the concert as "the last show I may ever do in my life".

Shortly afterwards an announcement was made saying he had been taken ill with a throat problem.

His promoter, however, played down the Bat Out of Hell star's comments, attributing them to "exhaustion and stress".

After Birmingham, Meat Loaf is due to perform in Manchester, London, Nottingham and Cardiff.