"Jeff is devastated": ELO's last ever mega-gig plunged into jeopardy after last-minute cancellation of last night's Manchester show

Last night's planned appearance by ELO at Manchester’s Co-Op Live arena had its plug abruptly pulled, leaving fans, who’d already entered the arena to see the band on their final farewell tour, confused and disappointed.

An announcement issued to the crowd just minutes before support act Dhani Harrison was due to take to the stage informed them that the show had been cancelled due to illness.

A similar announcement issued on the band’s official X account reads:

Unfortunately due to illness tonight’s (Thursday 10th July 2025) scheduled performance of Jeff Lynne’s ELO at the Co-Op Live will not be going ahead.

Jeff is devastated he cannot perform this evening.

More information will become available as soon as possible. For refunds please go to your point of purchase.

The surprise, last-minute cancellation raised fears for the health of lead vocalist and ELO driving force Jeff Lynne, the 77-year-old founder of the band who’d earlier broken his hand in a taxi accident.

Prior to a pair of gigs in his hometown of Birmingham last weekend, Lynne had sustained the injury just days earlier in London.

“I was riding in a taxi in London that slammed on its brake to avoid an accident and I broke my hand," Lynne informed the Birmingham crowd on July 5. "I've had a guitar in my hand all my life but not tonight… That's why I can't play guitar today... But nothing could keep me from you today,” he went on.

Lynne and band subsequently played a final Birmingham gig on July 6 and an appearance in Manchester July 9 but it seems that last night’s planned July 10 gig was a step too far.

Last Train To London

The band are currently on their final Over and Out tour, a tour that has seen the band already play 30 gigs across the United States and Canada throughout 2024, with five further final UK gigs scheduled through July 2025.

Last Saturday's Birmingham gig went head to head with Black Sabbath's Back to the Beginning gig across town a show which saw an appearance by Lynne's former ELO bandmate, Bev Bevan. Lynne shares a fractious relationship with his ex-drummer following a battle over use of the ELO name, forcing the insertion of Lynne's name in front of the band's familiar three-letter Electric Light Orchestra acronym.

Now, following the cancellation of their penultimate gig, all eyes turn towards Jeff Lynne's ELO's next scheduled appearance due to take place this weekend, on Sunday July 13 at London’s Hyde Park.

With a potential audience of 65,000 awaiting to see what’s likely to be the last ever live show from one of the world's favourite acts, it's certain that Lynne and his band won’t want to disappoint.