Olly Murs has been forced to cancel two key dates on his ongoing UK tour after an emotional and unexpected early exit from the stage in Glasgow left both the singer and his fans visibly shaken.
The 41-year-old pop star, best known for hits like “Dance With Me Tonight” and “Troublemaker,” was just 20 minutes into his performance at the OVO Hydro when he had to stop the show.
Fans expecting a high-energy night of music and dancing were left disappointed, as Murs struggled with vocal issues that ultimately made it impossible for him to continue.
Taking to social media the following day, Murs opened up about the difficult decision to cut the concert short.
“To everyone in Glasgow last night, I want to start by saying sorry,” he wrote in a heartfelt message posted to X (formerly Twitter). “What happened last night has never happened to me before and I’m truly gutted and upset about it.”
The former X Factor finalist explained that his voice began to fail partway through the show and that, despite pushing through six songs, he couldn’t go on without risking further damage.
“In 15 years I’ve never had to leave the stage after 30 minutes into a show,” he continued.
“But my voice was failing me. I was panicking and worrying on what to do, which gave me no choice but to address it. The thought of upsetting people and letting you, the fans, down has hit me hard today.”
Doctors later confirmed Murs is suffering from a respiratory infection and have advised him to rest his voice for at least 48 hours to avoid long-term issues.
As a result, his shows scheduled for Friday at Manchester’s AO Arena and Saturday at Birmingham’s bp pulse live venue have both been cancelled.
Fans who bought tickets for either concert have been assured full refunds, which will be processed within a week.
Despite the setback, Murs is hopeful he will recover in time to perform in London on Sunday and in Brighton next week, where he hopes to complete the remainder of his tour.
Concertgoer Chloe Banning, who attended the Glasgow show, described the moment Murs walked offstage as deeply emotional.
Speaking to BBC Scotland News, she said, “It wasn’t 100% noticeable [that he was struggling] as he was still putting on such a good show, but I thought something was a bit off as there were certain lines he wasn’t singing.”
She added that many in the audience didn’t initially realize the severity of the situation. “Some people thought he was joking. I personally thought he was taking 10 minutes and coming back on.”
When it became clear that Murs would not be returning to the stage, fans were left stunned. “You could tell he was really upset and kicking himself,” Chloe said.
While the majority of the crowd responded with understanding and concern, there were some who expressed frustration at the abrupt end to the night.
Nevertheless, most recognized that the singer’s health had to come first.
This isn’t the first time Murs has faced travel and performance issues at the OVO Hydro.
Just last year, he missed an opportunity to support Take That at the same venue due to a cancelled flight.
Despite such setbacks, he has remained a consistent chart presence in the UK, earning four No.1 singles and selling out venues nationwide with his energetic performances and charismatic stage presence.
As he focuses on recovering in the coming days, Murs thanked his fans once again for their patience and understanding.
“Your support means the world to me, and I’ll do everything I can to get back on that stage and give you the show you deserve,” he wrote.
Whether he can return in time for the London and Brighton gigs remains uncertain, but what is clear is that Olly Murs remains as devoted to his fans as they are to him.
