Bonnie Tyler rushed to hospital amid sudden health scare

Bonnie Tyler has been hospitalized in Portugal, according to her spokesperson, yet is on the mend after undergoing emergency surgery. The 74-year-old, best known for her ’80s smash-hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, was gearing up to return to the stage for several shows in May. 

“We are very sorry to announce that Bonnie has been admitted to 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 was born Gaynor Hopkins in Wales in 1951, and released her first single, “My! My! Honeycomb” in 1976. She went on to release “Total Eclipse of the Heart” in 1983, which turned her into a household name thanks to her gravelly yet powerful vocals. 

She has released 18 studio albums throughout her 50-year career, and shared with The Mirror in May that she had no plans to retire anytime soon. 

“I’m still rocking on that stage with my wonderful band, and if you’ve got your health, you’ve got everything. I do home Pilates, only 20 minutes a day – it’s something I can do in my hotel rooms,” she explained. 

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“I have had problems with my knees; I didn’t have new knees, I had what they call washouts [a knee procedure], which turned out to be very successful. So, hopefully that will last for a long time.”

Bonnie continued: “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.”

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“Even though I was so lucky because I was in Portugal when the first lockdown was announced, by the end of it, I’d had enough. I was going crazy. I needed to get back out there on the road!”

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She shared with The Times that touring helps her stay young and energetic. “Touring keeps me going. I consider myself a working-class girl, and I’ve never stopped working,” she said. 

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“Moving my parents from the council house where I was brought up to a cottage in Mumbles is the thing I’m most proud of, but it does feel like an achievement to still be wanted by audiences at my age. I’m pretty energetic.”

Bonnie released two singles in 2026: “Only Love” on March 21, and “One World One Home” on April 24. She is due to perform in Malta on May 22 and in Germany on May 30, and is scheduled for several festival performances and solo shows in Europe over the summer.