Meat Loaf cancels Birmingham gig

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

US singer Meat Loaf has cancelled Friday's concert at the Birmingham NEC owing to acute laryngitis.

Staff at the arena had told the BBC earlier that the singer would be performing as planned - just days after he walked out of a gig in Newcastle.

He reportedly told fans it would be his final concert, but promoters later said he had been suffering from exhaustion.

The NEC has rescheduled the concert for Thursday 29 November and all existing tickets will be honoured.

'Devastating'

Meat Loaf - born Marvin Lee Aday - said: "Performing for my fans is the most important thing in the world to me. Over the years, I've gone on stage with a broken foot and an arrhythmic heart.

"It was devastating having to come off stage in Newcastle but over time, I've reluctantly learned that I have to abide by what the doctors tell me to do."

Meat Loaf, 60, was about an hour into his performance at the Metro Radio Arena on Wednesday when he abruptly stopped, thanked the audience and left the stage.

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".

Meat Loaf is due to perform in Manchester, London, Nottingham and Cardiff as part of the European leg of his Three Bats Tour.