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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Ekin Karasin

Olly Murs says he's 'broken' in health update after being forced to cancel Dubai show

Olly Murs has given fans a health update after being forced to cancel a live show in Dubai.

The singer, 40, pulled out of performing at Bla Bla Dubai hours before the concert on Friday night due to a throat infection.

He wrote on Instagram: “To everyone here in Dubai, unfortunately due to doctor's orders I am having to cancel tonight's show at Bla-Bla because of a throat infection.

“I'm so gutted. I look forward to coming back ASAP and will share new date information as soon as I can! Olly x.”

On Saturday morning, the X Factor star shared a selfie of himself looking bleary-eyed and unwell on his Instagram Story.

The Troublemaker singer wrote alongside it: “A man with a broken voice. Gutted Dubai, I'll be back.”

The singer, 40, said he had a ‘broken voice’ (Instagram/Olly Murs)

Last year, Murs had to cancel a performance with Take That just minutes before the show kicked off.

The singer, who was meant to open for the band in Glasgow last May, revealed his flight from Heathrow to the Scottish city was repeatedly delayed and eventually cancelled.

He was replaced by unknown Scottish singer Daniel Rooney, who was plucked from a nearby hotel bar by TV presenter Ross King just 30 minutes before the show was due to start.

King was watching Rooney play at the Radisson Hotel opposite the OVO Hydro and drafted Rooney in to perform at the arena.

Recalling the surreal experience, Rooney told ITV’s Lorraine: “I’m halfway through my set, I’m on my break, I’ve played for about half an hour.”

Murs shared this statement on Friday night (Instagram/Olly Murs)

He went on: “Then one of the waiters comes up and he says: ‘Ross King wants to speak to you, he might have a life-changing opportunity for you!’

“Ross comes along with those words: ‘I have an opportunity that’s going to change your life, can you go and support Take That at the Hydro?’

“I’m thinking, ‘Right, who’s trying to wind me up here?’ But he was telling the truth and I packed up my stuff – I had another half to go, but I said to the restaurant owner: ‘I’ve been asked to play the Hydro, I’ve got to go!’”

Murs told the programme: “For the young lad to come out from singing in a bar. Imagine that, you’re in a bar 30 minutes beforehand singing to a few hundred people, that’s crazy!

“For him to then go: ‘Right, there’s ten thousand people that need entertaining.’ Fair play to him, that’s amazing. You know what, credit to him.”

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