Madonna has postponed her global greatest hits tour after being taken to a hospital’s intensive care unit with a serious bacterial infection.

Manager Guy Oseary revealed on 24 June that the 64-year-old’s infection was “serious” and led to “a several-day stay in the ICU”.

He added that Madonna’s health is improving – and a full recovery is expected – but she is still under medical care.

Madonna: The Celebration Tour was due to start in a little over two weeks with a 15 July show at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena.

Announced in January, the tour was extended multiple times after selling out 36 shows and shifting over 600,000 tickets.

The now 84-date outing, produced by Live Nation, includes more than 40 dates in North America between 15 July and 8 October, followed by more than 25 dates in Europe between 14 October and 6 December. Another dozen dates were booked in North America in December and January.

Oseary added that Madonna’s health is improving – and a full recovery is expected – but she is still under medical care

The tour boasts four shows each at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena and Paris’ Accor Arena, as well as six nights at London’s The O2.

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of her breakout single Holiday, the pop icon was due to perform music spanning her entire career, from 1983’s self-titled debut album to 2019’s Madame X.

Announcing the new tour, the star said: “I am excited to explore as many songs as possible, in hopes to give my fans the show they have been waiting for.”

A press release said the concerts “will take us on Madonna’s artistic journey through four decades and pays respect to the city of New York where her career in music began”.

The tour will also offer a “one-of-a-kind experience” with special guest Bob the Drag Queen a.k.a. Caldwell Tidicue across all dates on the global tour.

Madonna’s 2008-2009 Sticky and Sweet Tour is the highest-grossing tour by a female artist ever, raking in $411 million (£335 million).

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Maverick executive Guy Oseary has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support those affected by the mass shootings at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, making a personal contribution of US$18,000.

“Forty-nine dead in terror attack at New Zealand mosques. We woke up to this news this morning. My heart breaks for the victims and for their families,” writes Oseary on his Christchurch Mosques Fundraiser page.

At press time, the GoFundMe page had raised $145,000, receiving donations from entertainment industry figures including Oseary’s longtime client Madonna, Live Nation chief executive Michael Rapino, American comedian Chris Rock, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea Balzary and DJ and Apple Music executive Zane Lowe.

“We will work with GoFundMe to ensure all funds are transferred to an organisation providing support to the families and community”

“We will work with GoFundMe to ensure all funds are transferred to an organisation providing support to the families and community,” states Oseary in an Instagram post, adding that “additional information about the distribution of funds” will be provided when available.

Oseary set up a similar GoFundMe page in 2018 following a mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue. In reference to the previous campaign, Oseary posted that “this time around, it was important for me – an Israeli Jew – to show love and care for the Muslim community on another painful, sad day that left 50 innocent people dead in New Zealand.”

Oseary formed the current incarnation of Maverick in 2014 as a joint venture with Live Nation. He is a co-founder of Israeli promoter Bluestone Entertainment, launching Ticketmaster Israel in conjunction with Live Nation in 2017. Maverick manages Madonna, U2, Miley Cyrus, the Weeknd and Shania Twain.

Donations to the Christchurch Mosques Fundraiser page can be made here.

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