Total Eclipse Of The Heart Singer Bonnie Tyler Is 'Recuperating' After Emergency Surgery In Portugal
Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart" is an iconic '80s tune with a bizarre backstory. Since it debuted in 1983 on Tyler's sixth album, the song has literally been listened to over a billion times. Not content to rest on her laurels, Tyler has continued making music, releasing a number of studio and live albums. Starting May 22, 2026, the legendary singer planned to be on an international tour with dates stretching through the end of the year. Unfortunately, Tyler had a health complication shortly before she was set to start traveling. "Bonnie has been admitted to hospital in Faro, Portugal, where she has a home, for emergency intestinal surgery," Tyler's website announced on May 6. "The surgery went well and she is now recuperating."
Tyler's team also disseminated the news on Facebook, and her fans posted encouraging messages. Some used Tyler's song lyrics to convey their sentiments or shared sweet memories of seeing her past performances. Others wished her well and mentioned their anticipation about attending one of her upcoming shows.
The statement didn't address the possible impact on the upcoming tour. However, it's likely that Tyler will proceed with her plans as soon as she is able. "Touring keeps me going," she informed The Times in 2025. "People ask me if I get tired singing the old songs, but why wouldn't I love singing something like 'Total Eclipse of the Heart'? As soon as I start one of those numbers, the whole audience sings it back to me — it's magic."
Tyler has dealt with health struggles before
Vocal cord nodules almost derailed Bonnie Tyler's career years before "Total Eclipse of the Heart." Even though the nodules were successfully removed, Tyler struggled with the post-op care plan. "You're not supposed to talk for six weeks," she told The Guardian in 2009. "One day I just screamed out of frustration, then went back to the specialist and he said I had done damage to my voice." Fortunately, even though Tyler's voice was permanently changed, it had a serendipitous effect. "My producers said, 'My God, your voice is husky now, but we love it,'" Tyler recalled to Hello! in March 2026. Her vocal stylings made her stand out, and Tyler's stardom skyrocketed. In 2022, the singer's musical contributions were royally recognized when Tyler received an MBE as part of Queen Elizabeth II's birthday honors list.
Despite that long-ago stroke of good fortune, these days, Tyler seems to take a more measured approach to health and wellness. At some point, Tyler decided to hire a voice coach to help her prep her pipes during tours.
In addition, Tyler's commitment to doing Pilates every day likely provides her with a host of benefits both mentally and physically. Besides her commitment to self-care, Tyler's social network is likely providing her with an important wellness boost. She might have to miss out on the exhilarating feeling of standing onstage and listening to her fans join in for a while, but Tyler also has a tight relationship with her family in Wales.