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Adele apology: Full statement as singer postpones Las Vegas shows at last minute

Emotional star cites ‘delivery delays and Covid’ as reasons residency shows unable to go ahead

Joe Sommerlad
Friday 21 January 2022 09:13 GMT
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Adele breaks down in tears as she announces tour cancellation

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British pop superstar Adele has posted a tearful message on social media reluctantly announcing the postponement of her upcoming Las Vegas residency.

“Weekends with Adele”, a series of Friday and Saturday night concerts at The Colosseum at Caesar’s Palace Hotel was due to begin on Friday 21 January and run until Saturday 16 April, but the singer explained to fans that her show was simply not ready in time, having been hit by “delivery delays and Covid”. Her announcement was made just hours before the first show was due to begin.

Adele promised to reschedule the performances, which would have seen her join such greats as Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion and Britney Spears in playing the Nevada gambling Mecca, but the last-minute nature of the decision has angered fans, some of whom were already en route to catch her opening night.

“It’s my birthday and I am on an airplane right now using the last of my vacation time for a whole year to see you along with some non-refundable deposits and a week of babysitting... I’m sad you couldn’t decide this until the last minute,” one ticket-holder wrote on Twitter.

Adele was tipped to make £500,000 per night from the concerts, with tickets officially on sale from £60 to £500 but going for as much as £22,000 on resale websites.

Here is what she had to say about the cancellations in full:

“Hiya, listen I’m so sorry but my show ain’t ready.

“We’ve tried absolutely everything that we can to pull it together in time and for it to be good enough for you but we’ve been absolutely destroyed by delivery delays and Covid.

“Half my crew, half my team are down with Covid, they still are, and it’s been impossible to finish the show… and I can’t give you what I have right now and I’m gutted, I’m gutted, and I’m sorry it’s the last minute.

“We’ve been awake for over 30 hours now trying to figure it out… We’ve run out of time and I’m so upset and I’m really embarrassed and I’m so sorry to everyone that’s travelled again. I’m really, really sorry, I’m really sorry.

“We’re on it. We’re going to reschedule all of the dates. We’re on it right now and I’m going to finish my show and I’m going get it to where it’s supposed to be.

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“I’m so, so sorry. It’s been impossible. We’ve been up against so much and it just ain’t ready. I’m really sorry… sorry.”

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