Lionel Richie, 77, was forced to halt his first concert of a new tour in St. Paul, Minnesota, after falling ill mid-performance. The incident occurred at the Grand Casino Arena, where Richie announced an unscheduled 40-minute intermission before ultimately ending the show.
GMB's Live Reaction
On Thursday's episode of Good Morning Britain, hosts Richard Madeley and Kate Garraway were joined by entertainment reporter Richard Arnold for a showbiz update. Before Arnold could begin, Madeley noted: "Richard's here with a bit of worrying news."
Arnold reported: "Yes, just news overnight. Lionel Richie was taken ill during a show last night. The star was performing in Minnesota at the start of this tour with Earth, Wind and Fire. When Lionel announced an unscheduled intermission after 30 minutes, a member of his band came back on stage and announced Lionel wouldn’t be returning as he was feeling ill."
Details of the Incident
According to fans, Richie felt dizzy while singing "Dancing on the Ceiling" and sat down on the stage. After performing "Three Times A Lady" from the piano, he announced an intermission and left the stage. His band followed minutes later, and one member returned to inform the audience that Richie could not continue due to illness.
Saxophonist Dino Soldo, speaking to the Minnesota Star Tribune, said: "Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well. He won’t be able to continue. Additional information will be available."
Message of Support
Arnold sent a heartfelt message to the singer: "Obviously, we wish Lionel a speedy recovery. It’s the start of a 26-day tour. He’s 77-years-old and he frankly looks about 15 to 20 years younger. Having met him many times, he's a very spirited individual. So hopefully he’ll be back on the road soon and feeling the heat of the light. Once again, wishing him all the very best."
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
