Gary Numan was in the middle of performing in Birmingham on Saturday night when he erupted into tears on stage, telling the crowd he had just been given heartbreaking news
Music legend Gary Numan left fans deeply concerned at a Birmingham O2 Academy gig after breaking down mid-performance. He eventually had to be consoled from his wife after he was given what he described as the “worst news ever”.
The 67-year-old singer is currently on tour, delighting thousands of music fans with his hit tracks from the 1970s. He was performing his track Please Push No More during Saturday’s show (November 15) when it appeared he became visibly distressed halfway through his set.
His wife Gemma rushed onto the stage to comfort him as Gary revealed he had received devastating news that morning. He did not disclose the news to the crowd, but told the audience he would reveal what had happened in a few days’ time — once he had fully come to terms with it.
Gary is currently in the opening stages of his Telekon tour, marking the 45th anniversary of his chart-topping 1980 album of the same name, which hit number one in the UK, according to the Mirror. But after accounts of Numan sobbing started to spread across the Internet, worried supporters flooded social media with messages of concern.
One fan posted: “Rough to see him so upset during PPNM — not looking forward to hearing the reason in the coming days. Can’t be good; absolute pro to battle on.”
Another wrote: “Gary Numan breaks down at O2 in Birmingham?? Hope he’s ok! He’s heard something today but said it’ll all come out in a few days.”
A third supporter said: “Hearing today that Gary was struggling in his Birmingham show, sending love.” Meanwhile, a fourth fan took to Facebook to praise Gary, willing him to go on and carry on through.
“Hats off to Gary!!” the user penned, “Imagine having bad news and still coming on stage to perform to all his fans. Takes great courage!”
Another echoed the sentiment, saying: “Fantastic show, very emotional. Hope it isn’t anything to do with his health or his family.”
Footage of the breakdown went viral, after one concerned concertgoer shared the intimate moment on their social media. Writing in the caption, they said: “A very emotional Gary tonight in Birmingham; he broke down during Please Push No More.
“Apparently, he’s had some bad news today, which he’ll make public in a few days’ time. Gemma came on stage and hugged him.
“I really hope it’s not something to do with Gemma’s health. But he still did a tremendous show. And the audience loved him a little bit more for it.”
Gary has been happily married to Gemma for three decades; the pair first met back in 1997 when she was part of his fan club, and love soon blossomed. The couple are also doting parents to three wonderful daughters.
One of Gary’s kids lent her voice to his 2017 track My Name Is Ruin, when she was just 11 years old. The family currently resides in Santa Monica, California, where they’ve lived since 2012.
Gary’s tour is set to roll on with a gig in Bristol this Sunday (November 16), with no signs of cancellation. As of yet, he hasn’t commented on the emotional Birmingham performance on any of his social media platforms.
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