Cold Chisel singer and former wild child Jimmy Barnes has been rushed to hospital after collapsing in Darwin. He was due to perform at the Darwin Turf Club this evening and collapsed around 1pm according to the venue. In a statement issued this evening by his people he revealed that he had been battling a lingering viral flu. The statement reads:
Jimmy Barnes was taken ill around lunchtime today and visited doctors. Initial concerns that his problems may relate to his heart and may require hospitalisation thankfully proved unfounded.
However, doctors have advised that he must have four weeks of total rest and recuperation.
Unfortunately this has necessitated cancellation and postponement of some solo engagements which he had planned between now and the end of August.
Jimmy recently completed a gruelling European tour and returned to Australia just in time for the launch of Cold Chisel’s tour last week. He had been battling a lingering viral flu for some time.
He is expected to make a full recovery in plenty of time to begin rehearsals with Cold Chisel in September for their October tour.
“I hate to cancel shows and over the years I’ve very rarely done it”, says Jimmy. “Sorry to anyone who’s been let down by this but I’ll be back on deck in a few weeks time.”
Barnes was once a poster child for the rock n’ roll lifestyle, drinking up to two bottles of vodka a day in Cold Chisel’s debauched 80s career. However, these days he has fought his alcohol and cocaine addictions and has been clean since 2002 since spending time in rehab.
