Bonnie Tyler has tragically died at 75 years old. The iconic Welsh singer, who enjoyed a stellar career spanning five decades, suffered a brief health struggle, which saw her put in an induced coma following surgery. A statement confirmed: “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. We will issue a further statement shortly, but for now, ask for privacy to deal with this tragedy.”
Just months before her death, Bonnie shared a sad truth behind one of her biggest songs, Total Eclipse of the Heart. She opened up about the hit during her last TV appearance before her surgery, on ITV’s Lorraine. Before her health scare, host Lorraine Kelly asked whether she receives royalties from the iconic 1983 pop-rock ballad she is best known for, to which she made a heartbreaking admission.
Bonnie Tyler is best known for the iconic 1983 ballad (Image: YouTube)
During the chat in February, Lorraine remarked: “Total Eclipse of the Heart, massive song. It’s used all the time. You see it in adverts all the time, you hear it all the time.
“It’s had over a billion streams on Spotify… you think, ‘Oh well that’s great, Bonnie can sit back, put her feet up.'”
To which the singer shockingly explained that she earns little to nothing from streaming royalties and said: “But I didn’t write the song. I’m just a singer, you know, so I didn’t write that song.”
Bonnie revealed that the composer Jim Steinman, who wrote and produced the single, received royalties. She added that since his death, she believes his family are its recipients.
Reflecting on its release 43 years ago, the Welsh native said: “The first time I heard it, shivers up my spine. I couldn’t believe [Steinman] was giving me this song to sing. I wanted desperately to work with him.”
Bonnie Tyler enjoyed a five decade career (Image: Getty)
Bonnie’s tragic death follows a devastating health update of his hospitalisation, which her team shared in April.
On May 8, the star, who was originally from Skewen, was placed into an induced coma to assist her recovery after undergoing urgent intestinal surgery.
She was initially reported to be recovering at a hospital near her home in Faro, Portugal, before reports emerged that she had to be “resuscitated after going into cardiac arrest” when doctors attempted to bring her round from the coma.
The life-saving procedure followed a burst appendix, with medical staff subsequently working to manage the “serious infection” she was fighting.
At the time, a spokesman for the Total Eclipse of the Heart singer said: “We know that you all wish her well and ask for privacy at this difficult time, please.”