Madonna reveals ‘terrifying rush’ to hospital ahead of Celebration Tour: ‘I didn’t think I’d make it’

Madonna on terrifying rush to hospital ahead of Celebration tour: 'I didn't think I'd make it'

Pop icon and unflinching LGBTQ+ ally Madonna revealed that she was taken to hospital in a “terrifying rush” ahead of her highly-anticipated Celebration Tour.

As she opened the first leg of her Celebration Tour in London on Saturday night, Madonna revealed to fans that she “didn’t think she’d make it” during her “serious” hospital run.

When she was discovered slumped on the floor of her New York City residence in June, the iconic pop singer had to reschedule performances after being taken to the ICU and intubated.

The Daily Mail reported that her family hurried to her bedside because they were “preparing for the worst” and feared they would lose her. 

In between performing her greatest hits at the opening show on Saturday (14 October), Madonna broke her silence over the terrifying experience, surprising her fans by admitting she “forgot five days” of her life.

“I didn’t think I would make it, and neither did my doctors,” the Queen of Pop told the audience in a candid moment onstage.

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“That’s why I woke up with all of my children sitting around me.”

She continued her emotional confession:”‘I forgot five days of my life, or my death, I don’t really know where I was. But the angels were protecting me. And my children were there. And my children always save me, every time.

“If you want to know how I pulled through and how I survived, I thought, I have got to be there for my children. I have to survive for them.”

Madonna performs during opening night of The Celebration Tour at The O2 Arena on 14 October 2023 in London, England. (Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Live Nation)

Despite this terrifying ordeal, the opening night proved the 65-year-olds Celebration Tour is set to be absolutely iconic, with incredible guest performances including from RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen, a heart-wrenching tribute to friends lost to AIDS, and a lengthy 45-song setlist that commemorates her remarkable 40-year career.

Fans were blown away by her performance, with one concertgoer taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, to write: “Madonna and her team have done an incredible job – the show is INCREDIBLE”.

Another wrote: “Madonna proving once again that she is THE it girl.”