LEWIS Capaldi is no longer performing at this year’s Reading Festival following an announcement about his upcoming tour dates.
He posted to social media at 11am on Tuesday, June 27, to announce that he would be “taking a break” from his touring commitments for “the foreseeable future.”
The post was retweeted by Reading and Leeds Festival, who said: “We’re gutted that Lewis Capaldi won’t be performing at R&L this year, but health comes first and we wish him a speedy recovery.
“We’re working hard to book a replacement, stay tuned.”
It follows continued struggles for the musician, who said on Monday, June 5, that he would not be making any tour appearances ahead of his performance at Glastonbury Festival on Saturday, June 24.
He said that the months following the release of his second album earlier this year had been “full on, both mentally and physically,” and has shared his experiences of his diagnosis of Tourette’s syndrome.
During his performance on Saturday, Capaldi apologised multiple times as his tics caused him difficulty on stage, with his voice becoming more strained as the set continued.
The crowd sang along and gave their support, including chanting the singer’s name along to the tune of The White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army.
He was due to continue his tour through much of 2023, including dates in Europe, Australia, and Asia, as well as perform as one of the headline acts at Reading and Leeds Festival this year.
His appearances at the festivals now look doubtful, however, as he has announced he is stepping back from performing.
His post reads: “Hello everyone– First of all, thank you to Glastonbury for having me, for singing along when I needed it and for all the amazing messages afterwards. It really does mean the world.
“The fact that this probably won’t come as a surprise doesn’t make it any easier to write, but I’m very sorry to let you know I’m going to be taking a break from touring for the foreseeable future.
“I used to be able to enjoy every second of shows like this and I’d hoped 3 weeks away would sort me out, but the truth is I’m still learning to adjust to the impact of my Tourette’s.”
He explained: “On Saturday it became obvious that I need to spend much more time getting my mental and physical health in order, so I can keep doing everything I love for a long time to come.
“I know I’m incredibly fortunate to be able to take some time out when others can’t and I’d like to thank my amazing family, friends, team, medical professionals and all of you who’ve been so supportive every step of the way through the good times and even more so during this past year when I’ve needed it more than ever.”
He continued: “I’m so incredibly sorry to everyone who had planned to come to a show before the end of the year but I need to feel well to perform at the standard you all deserve.
“Playing for you every night is all I’ve ever dreamed of so this has been the most difficult decision of my life. I’ll be back as soon as I possibly can.
“All my love, always, Lewis,” and signed the post with a kiss.
