Celine Dion health: new 2023 UK tour dates including Manchester and Birmingham, what is stiff person syndrome?

Celine Dion has announced on Instagram that she has postponed and changed the dates of her upcoming European tour, which was planned to begin in February 2023.

After experiencing muscle spasms, the 54-year-old Canadian singer has revealed that she had been given a rare neurological diagnosis known as stiff person syndrome. She said that the spasms interfere with "her daily life" and impair her movement and voice.

The It’s All Coming Back To Me Now singer wrote: “I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time, and it’s been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through.

“It hurts me to tell you that I won’t be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February,” she announced emotionally. Here is everything you need to know.

Which shows have been postponed?

Dion has been forced to cancel eight of her summer 2023 shows and moved the rest of her European dates to 2024.

“I always give 100% when I do my shows but my condition is not allowing me to give you that right now,” she said. “For me to reach you again, I have no choice but to concentrate on my health at this moment and I have hope that I’m on the road to recovery. This is my focus and I’m doing everything that I can to recuperate.”

Her Courage World Tour shows at The O2 in London, AO Arena Manchester, Utilita Arena Birmingham and OVO Hydro in Scotland have been moved from 2023 to April 2024.

The rescheduled UK tour dates in full:

• April 9, 2024 - Manchester, AO Arena
• April 10, 2024 - Manchester, AO Arena
• April 13, 2024 - Glasgow, OVO Hydro
• April 14, 2024 - Glasgow, OVO Hydro
• April 17, 2024 - Birmingham, Utilita Arena
• April 18, 2024 - Birmingham, Utilita Arena
• April 21, 2024 - London, The O2
• April 22, 2024 - London, The O2

Dion apologised to her fans earlier this year for postponing and cancelling a number of her European tour dates due to health problems.

She said then she was experiencing muscle spasms but was “doing my very best to get back to the level that I need to be so that I can give 100% at my shows”. She already had to reschedule tour dates during the Covid pandemic.

What is stiff person syndrome?

According to University College London, stiff person syndrome is a disorder that primarily affects persons in their 40s and 60s, and causes persistent spasms in the lower limbs and torso.

Spasms can be triggered by sensory stimuli such as light touch and noise. In advanced forms of the disorder, breathing may be hampered, and spasms may persist continuously.

Although stiff person disorder is currently incurable, Dion assured her followers in a social media video that she is making every effort to halt its progression and lessen its symptoms.

“Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life,” she said, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal chords to sing the way I’m used to.

“I have a great team of doctors working alongside me to help me get better and my precious children who are supporting me and giving me help. I’m working hard with my sports medicine therapist every day to build back my strength and my ability to perform again but I have to admit it’s been a struggle.”