Rest in peace, Bonnie, you will be so missed
Bonnie Tyler’s final social media post has taken on a heartbreaking new significance following the news of her death aged 75. The Welsh music icon, whose family confirmed she died unexpectedly after a brief illness, made what would become her final Instagram post while promoting a documentary she had recently supported.
Just weeks before her death, the Total Eclipse of the Heart singer encouraged fans to watch HOMELESS, a documentary for which she performed a song on the soundtrack. Sharing artwork for the film, Bonnie wrote: “HOMELESS is a powerful new documentary and I am grateful for the opportunity to perform on its soundtrack.”
She continued: “The song and the film are both available on streaming, and a limited supply of vinyls can be ordered through the link in my bio.”
Bonnie’s last Instagram post was a moving tribute to a special documentary (Image: Bonnie Tyler Instagram)
The post has since been flooded with messages from devastated fans paying tribute to the legendary singer following the announcement of her death.
A statement shared on Bonnie’s official website confirmed the heartbreaking news.
It read: “Bonnie’s family and team are heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for.”
The statement added that a further update would be issued in due course, while asking for privacy for her loved ones.
The singer, born Gaynor Sullivan in Skewen, South Wales, had reportedly fallen ill earlier this year and underwent emergency intestinal surgery before being placed into an induced coma as doctors battled to treat a serious infection.
Bonnie career spans decades (Image: Instagram Bonnie Tyler)
Bonnie became one of Britain’s biggest music stars after breaking through in the late 1970s with It’s a Heartache, before enjoying worldwide success in the 1980s with hits including Total Eclipse of the Heart and Holding Out for a Hero, both written by legendary songwriter Jim Steinman.
Across a career spanning almost five decades, she sold millions of records worldwide, earned Grammy and Brit Award nominations and was appointed an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to music.
Despite her long career, Bonnie showed little sign of slowing down. She released what would become her final studio album, The Best Is Yet to Come, in 2021 and had been due to embark on a European tour this year before her illness forced her to step back.
She is survived by her husband, property developer Robert Sullivan, whom she married in 1973.