Jon Bon Jovi ‘had to pull the plug’ after attempting to perform after surgery

Jon Bon Jovi has revealed he was forced to cancel live plans after realising he wasn’t ready to return to the stage following vocal cord surgery.

Speaking at a press conference at Wembley Stadium to announce Bon Jovi’s 2026 UK and Ireland tour, the rock icon described the long and uncertain road back to performing — one that nearly derailed the band’s 40th anniversary celebrations.

‘I didn’t lose faith, but I had no idea how protracted the recovery would be,’ Bon Jovi told reporters, including Metro.

‘The surgeon did an incredible job, but he had said to me, “I promise you nothing, stay the course.” When we put out the Forever album last June to coincide with the 40th anniversary, I fully anticipated being able to support it, but as the record was coming out and we started to rehearse, I just wasn’t up to the standard that we’re accustomed to.’

The frontman continued: ‘There was no way that I would go out any less than 100%, so I had to pull the plug — and therefore pull the plug on a very joyous record, one that I really wanted to go out and share.’

Bon Jovi underwent vocal cord surgery in 2022 and has spent the last three and a half years rebuilding his strength and voice.

‘We went back to the woodshed,’ he said.

‘I’ve been playing four nights a week for the last three and a half years, but only to an audience of me. I have a whole setup at home to work on, and I meet with the vein specialist once a month to mark the progress. Now it’s ready to go.’

The announcement marks a triumphant comeback for the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers, who will return to major live shows for the first time in years.

Their Forever tour will include a New York residency at Madison Square Garden in July 2026, followed by a UK and Ireland stadium run — Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium on August 28, Dublin’s Croke Park on August 30, and London’s Wembley Stadium on September 4.

Fans can access pre-sale tickets from 9am on Monday, October 27, with general sales opening on October 31.

The comeback follows the release of Forever, Bon Jovi’s 16th studio album and a celebration of their four-decade career, alongside the Disney+ documentary Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story.

This week, the band is also dropping a special reimagined edition of Forever, featuring collaborations with Bruce Springsteen, Avril Lavigne, Robbie Williams, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Ryan Tedder, and Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott.

After years of uncertainty, Bon Jovi’s return to full voice — and to the stage — looks set to be one of rock’s biggest comeback stories.

As the singer summed up at Wembley: ‘It’s been a long road, but now… it’s ready to go.’

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