Dolly Parton cancelled her appearance at Dollywood at the last minute due to ongoing health issues, appearing virtually instead to unveil the park's new rollercoaster, NightFlight Expedition.
Star apologises via video
The 80-year-old singer was due to open the new ride in person but announced she would not attend, saying she was still in Nashville. Apologising, she said: “I’m still in Nashville, and I’m sorry about that.”
She explained that she had become dizzy and dehydrated, saying: “I’m supposed to be there in person, like we planned. Now I’ve told you before, all my fans, that I have had a few little health issues. And sometimes I get a little dizzy, and I get dehydrated.”
Doctor's advice
Wearing fairy wings and a pink rhinestone jumpsuit, she continued: “And I’m dehydrated. And so my Nashville doctor clipped my wings, saying you ain’t traveling this week.”
She added: “So I guess if your doctor tells you you ain’t traveling this week, you ain’t traveling this week,” explaining that she likes keeping her fans “in the loop” as she promised she would “on everything.”
Fans react
Fans responded on social media, wishing her well. One wrote on X: "Hope you get your well-deserved rest and are back out there soon." Another shared: "I hope there's nothing seriously wrong with her. We love you Dolly!"
Her last public appearance was in June when she opened her Dolly's Tennessean Travel Stop, cutting the ribbon at the roadside destination.
Recent health struggles
She had not been seen for months before that, after revealing in September that she had been suffering from kidney stones. Later that month, she cancelled another Dollywood appearance due to health, appearing via video to explain: “Turns out there was an infection, and the doctor said, ‘You don’t need to be traveling around this minute, so you need a few days to get better.'”
In May, she cancelled her rescheduled Las Vegas residency performances, saying via video that she needed more time before being "up to stage performance level." She added: "The good news is I'm responding really well to meds and treatments and I'm improving every day," and "I'm doing really well, and they assure me that everything I have is treatable, so I'm going with that, and I just want you to know I thank you for standing by me and that I will always love you."
The Mirror has contacted Dolly's reps for comment.
