Music legend Barry Manilow has shared a positive health update, confessing that his cancer recovery was a "rough ride" but he is now "feeling great." The 82-year-old star was diagnosed with stage one lung cancer in December 2025 after experiencing prolonged episodes of bronchitis. Doctors discovered a cancerous spot during an MRI, requiring the tumour to be surgically removed from his lung.
Recovery and Return to the Stage
Barry spent seven days in the hospital following the operation, during which he unknowingly contracted pneumonia. He explained: "It was seven days in ICU. It wasn't so much the surgery that got me, it was the pneumonia that got me. I could have gone home after the surgery. They threw that tumour in the garbage and I could have gone home. It was the pneumonia that kept me in the hospital for a long time." The star was compelled to postpone a series of arena concerts but is now returning to the stage just months after his recovery.
During Tuesday's (June 9) episode of BBC Breakfast, reporter Charlotte Gallagher accompanied Barry during his rehearsals for his forthcoming UK tour. Updating fans on his health, Barry acknowledged the struggle but emphasised his recovery: "I'm feeling great, great. Everything is better. It was a rough ride."
Missing the Stage
The star was unable to perform while he recovered and admitted that time away from the stage was "agony." He said: "It was agony. I have no patience. I know the doctors said that it would take a while for everything to come back but it was agony." Barry added: "I hated just sitting and waiting. They really did a number on me and it took a long time to recover from it. It really was longer than I thought. I like being with my crew and their family. So that's what I was missing, I was missing this."
UK Tour and New Album
The crooner is back on the road as he embarks on a UK tour, with the opening show launching in Glasgow today (June 9). He will also take to the stage in Liverpool, Leeds, London and beyond, showcasing a treasure trove of industry-defining classics in his unmistakable performance style. Barry is most celebrated for anthems like Mandy, Copacabana (At the Copa), and I Wanna Do It With You.
Barry unveiled a fresh studio album, What a Time, on June 5, representing his first collection of predominantly original material in nearly 15 years. The 13-track record also boasts collaborations with vocalist Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds, nine-time Grammy winner Dave Cobb, and co-writers Bruce Sussman and Adrienne Anderson.
BBC Breakfast airs everyday from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.
