Sir Elton John halts gig half way through after losing voice

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Sir Elton John stopped a gig midway through after "completely" losing his voice.

The 'I'm Still Standing' hitmaker was performing at Auckland's Mount Smart Stadium on Sunday night (16.02.20) when he told fans he had to leave the stage.

He said: "I've just completely lost my voice. I can't sing. I've got to go. I'm sorry."

The 72-year-old singer later took to Instagram to post an emotional statement, revealing he had been diagnosed with walking pneumonia earlier in the day but had been "determined" to get on stage and sing for his fans.

He wrote on Instagram: "I want to thank everyone who attended tonight's gig in Auckland. I was diagnosed with walking pneumonia earlier today, but I was determined to give you the best show humanly possible. I played and sang my heart out, until my voice could sing no more. I'm disappointed, deeply upset and sorry. I gave it all I had. Thank-you so much for your extraordinary support and all the love you showed me during tonight's performance. I am eternally grateful. Love, Elton xx (sic)"

Elton has had a number of health scares over the years and had previously revealed he was "24 hours from death" when he contracted an infection after surgery for prostate cancer back in 2017, where fluid was leaking from his lymph nodes.

He said: "I was incredibly lucky - although, I have to say, I didn't feel terribly lucky at the time. I lay awake all night, wondering if I was going to die. In the hospital, alone at the dead of night, I'd prayed: Please don't let me die, please let me see my kids again, please give me a little longer ... They took a sample of the infection ... it was much more serious than they'd first realised. There were MRI scans and God knows how many other procedures. The doctors told David I was 24 hours away from death. If the South American tour had gone on for another day that would have been it: brown bread.'"