Lionel Ritchie cancels European summer concerts

U.S. singer Lionel Richie said on Tuesday he was cancelling his upcoming European summer tour concerts due to the ongoing spread of COVID-19.

“As Covid and its variants continue to impact the world, I have decided to hold off on my European tour this summer.

“The most important thing to me is the health of my fans, band and crew,” the “Hello” and “Dancing on the Ceiling” hitmaker said on his Twitter page.

“I hope you all understand and I hope to see you very soon when we can all gather safely.”

Among the performances cancelled was Richie’s appearance at the Isle of Wight Festival in Britain in June.

The 72-year-old is scheduled to perform in Las Vegas and New Orleans over coming weeks, according to his website.

He will also be aa judge on the American Idol show which begins Feb 27 on ABC and stream on Hulu.