Barry Manilow, aged 82, is set to undergo surgery to remove a cancerous spot found on his lung following a recent battle with bronchitis that lasted for six weeks, with a subsequent relapse of five weeks. The singer revealed this news on Monday, explaining that an MRI, as suggested by his doctor, led to the early discovery of the cancerous spot on his left lung. Despite the diagnosis, doctors are optimistic that the cancer has not spread, indicating that treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation may not be necessary. Instead, Manilow humorously mentioned resorting to “chicken soup and I Love Lucy reruns” during his recovery.
Manilow’s representatives confirmed that the cancerous spot is at stage one, with the surgery scheduled for late December. As a result, Manilow will be taking the month of January to recuperate, with plans to resume performances starting with Valentine’s weekend concerts on Feb. 12 at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. His arena concerts will recommence on Feb. 28 in Tampa, Florida. Originally slated for January, his 10 concerts across nine locations in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Ohio have been rescheduled to February.