Iconic 80s singer Bonnie Tyler has been placed into an induced coma after being hospitalized in Portugal.
The 74-year-old, best known for her smash-hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, was gearing up to return to the stage for several shows in May, but was admitted to the hospital for emergency intestinal surgery, her spokesperson shared on May 6, 2026.
However, a day later, a spokesperson offered a further update, revealing that Bonnie “has been put into an induced coma by her doctors to aid her recovery”.
“We know that you all wish her well and ask for privacy at this difficult time, please. We will issue a further statement when we are able to,” they concluded.
Medically induced comas slow down the activity in the brain and give it a chance to rest and recover while the body heals from a traumatic experience. Bonnie’s team had previously shared on social media that “the surgery went well and she is now recuperating”.
© Michael Ochs Archives“We are very sorry to announce that Bonnie has been admitted to the hospital in Faro, Portugal, where she has a home, for emergency intestinal surgery,” the statement read.
“The surgery went well and she is now recuperating. We know that all of her family, friends and fans will be concerned about this news and will be wishing her well for a full and swift recovery.”
Bonnie, whose real name was Gaynor Sullivan and who was born in Wales, has been living in Portugal for several years. Her hit songs include some of the most recognizablepowet ballads from the decade including “Holding Out For A Hero,” “It’s A Heartache,” and “If You Were A Woman (And I Was A Man)”.
She was made an MBE in 2023 for services to music.
© Getty Images“I’m still rocking on that stage with my wonderful band, and if you’ve got your health, you’ve got everything,” Bonnie told HELLO! in March of continuing to tour into her seventies.
“I started singing when I was 17, and I never thought I’d still be doing it at this age. I’ve slowed down a little bit, but I know now that I will never retire.”
© Gentle Look via Getty ImagesBonnie released two singles in 2026: “Only Love” on March 21, and “One World One Home” on April 24.
To keep herself active, Bonnie does 20 minutes of pilates every day, but has had problems with her knees, sharing that she underwent a procedure called washouts, “which turned out to be very successful, so hopefully that will last for a long time.”
The Grammy-nominated singer was due to tour Europe later this summer, with dates in Malta on May 22 and in Germany on May 30, as well as several festival performances and solo shows, to mark 50 years since the release of her 1976 breakthrough hit Lost In France, which entered the charts across Europe.
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