Jon Bon Jovi explains pulling the plug on comeback shows

Jon Bon Jovi says he was forced to “pull the plug” on live performances after realising his voice wasn’t strong enough to return following major surgery.

Speaking at a press conference at London’s Wembley Stadium to announce Bon Jovi’s 2026 UK and Ireland tour, the frontman, 62, opened up about his long recovery since undergoing vocal cord surgery in 2022.

“I didn’t lose faith, but I had no idea how long it would take,” he told reporters. “When we put out the Forever album last June, I thought I’d be ready to tour. But once rehearsals started, I just wasn’t at the level we expect. There was no way I’d go out there at less than 100%, so I had to pull the plug.”

Bon Jovi said he has spent the last three and a half years rebuilding his strength, rehearsing “four nights a week” at home, and having meeting monthly with his vein specialist to track progress.

The Forever tour will kick off in New York with a Madison Square Garden residency in July 2026, before heading to Edinburgh, Dublin, and London.

The comeback coincides with the band’s 40th anniversary, their 16th studio album Forever, and a Disney+ documentary Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story.