Sir Tom Jones has admitted he feared he was dying after being hospitalised with a severe bout of flu, following his recent departure from The Voice UK.
The 86-year-old Welsh singer was rushed to hospital last week after a short battle with the illness and was treated at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. During his stay, he was forced to cancel or reschedule a number of concerts.
Return to the stage
The It's Not Unusual hitmaker returned to the stage on Wednesday night at the Greek Theatre, where he told the audience how serious his "bad case of the flu" had been, making a heartfelt six-word admission about death.
"[I thought] Oh well, this is it, you've had a wonderful life, Tommy, but it's over right now," he said.
"I must say this, in the UCLA, they really did a wonderful job. So I'm here."
Hospital stay and recovery
Sir Tom described his time in hospital, saying: "[The medical staff said] What do you want to do now? I was in there for a week. And I said, 'I've got to get back on the stage'. This is where I belong. I can't live without this, believe me."
The Sex Bomb hitmaker is currently on the US leg of his Come Gather Round Tour and has completed 21 shows in America so far. He had previously announced the postponement of his concerts on October 25 and 26 in Los Angeles, as well as a show in San Diego, following doctor's advice.
Tour postponements
Taking to Instagram at the time, he wrote: "Following doctor's advice, I unfortunately have to reschedule tonight's show in Los Angeles and tomorrow's show in San Diego. I've had a great time these last few weeks, completing 20 shows and singing for wonderful audiences across the USA, but unexpectedly I've been hit with a bad case of the flu."
He added: "I'm truly sorry for any inconvenience caused. I look forward to seeing you all soon. All tickets for the original dates will remain valid. However, if customers are unable to attend the rescheduled dates, they are advised to contact their original point of purchase for a refund."
Sir Tom's career has spanned over seven decades, achieving three UK number one singles and four chart-topping albums. His awards include one Grammy and two Brits, and in 2006 he received a knighthood from the late Queen Elizabeth II for services to music.
