PHOTO: Richard Ashcroft Cancels London & Manchester Gigs Due To Illness

31 October 2018, 10:44 | Updated: 6 November 2018, 14:36

The former Verve frontman has been forced to reschedule his shows in the cities this week due to a "throat virus".

Richard Ashcroft as announced that his upcoming gigs in London and Manchester will be postponed due to illness.

The Verve legend was due to play intimate shows to support his Natural Rebel album at Manchester's Albert Hall tonight on Wednesday 31 October and at London's O2 Forum Kentish Town on Friday 2 November but has been forced to cancel them due to a "throat virus".

Taking to Instagram sharing a photo of his various medicines, the Surprised by the Joy singer wrote: "I want to say how disappointed i am to have to reschedule the upcoming Manchester and London shows. I was diagnosed by the Middlesbrough team doctor and he said the throat virus probably started before Glasgow it would have been easy to say we’ll just cancel Middlesbrough and Nottingham but the reason I was there is to play some cities like Middlesbrough that get passed on!"

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I want to say how disappointed i am to have to reschedule the upcoming Manchester and London shows. I was diagnosed by the Middlesbrough team doctor and he said the throat virus probably started before Glasgow it would have been easy to say we’ll just cancel Middlesbrough and Nottingham but the reason I was there is to play some cities like Middlesbrough that get passed on! It has really been hard to make this call but everyone deserves to hear me at my best.It hurts to think people have booked hotels etc that’s the worst bit.Again apology to fans band crew I will be back stronger I hope people who did see those shows no I care and love being up there Liam thanks 🙏 I no u was looking forward 2

A post shared by Richard Ashcroft (@richardashcroftofficial) on Oct 30, 2018 at 6:16pm PDT

He added: "It has really been hard to make this call but everyone deserves to hear me at my best.It hurts to think people have booked hotels etc that’s the worst bit.Again apology to fans band crew I will be back stronger I hope people who did see those shows no I care and love being up there Liam thanks 🙏 I no u was looking forward 2".

Watch Ashcroft play The Drugs Don't Work at London's Finsbury Park earlier this year:

Ashcroft still has live dates in the UK & Ireland for 2019, where he'll tour his album and play tracks from throughout its career.

Meanwhile, the Lucky Man singger has questioned whether Glastonbury Festival's line-up schedule takes away from the "power of the music".

Asked by BBC Breakfast if it's a time he looks back on fondly, the rocker replied: "I think so. You know Glastonbury's an interesting one for me, because the myth and the name have grown to such a proportion that they sell out before they've even told the world who the acts are.

"And I actually think that's taking away from the power of the music in a sense, because I like to know who the acts are before I buy a ticket".

He added: "But now, Glastonbury's grown... Is Glastonbury bigger than the acts now?"

Watch Ashcroft discuss the power of The Verve's Sonnet: