Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler has died at the age of 75 in a hospital in Portugal. A statement on her official website said she “unexpectedly passed away last night” following the illness she had been treated for in recent months.
Sudden death after months in hospital
Tyler, born Gaynor Hopkins in Skewen, near Neath, had been receiving treatment in Faro since May, when she underwent emergency intestinal surgery. Reports later suggested the operation followed a burst appendix and that she had to be resuscitated after suffering cardiac arrest. Doctors placed her in an induced coma to aid recovery. Her spokesperson confirmed in June that she had regained consciousness but remained “very unwell and in intensive care”.
An incredible five decade career
Discovered by talent scout Roger Bell in a Swansea nightclub, Tyler first performed under the name Sherene Davis before adopting her stage name. Vocal cord surgery in 1977 left her with the distinctive husky tone that defined her sound. Working with producer Jim Steinman, she released “Total Eclipse of the Heart” in 1983, a global hit number one that has since passed one billion streams on Spotify. Iconic “Holding Out for a Hero”, written for the film Footloose, followed a year later.
Eurovision, honours and final shows
Tyler represented Britain at Eurovision in 2013 with “Believe in Me”, finishing 19th. She released her 18th studio album, The Best Is Yet to Come, in 2021, and issued new singles as recently as April this year. She also made her first appearance at the Marenostrum Fuengirola festival on the Costa del Sol just last year in August 2025. An MBE recipient in 2023, she performed a career-spanning set at Shepherd’s Bush Empire in March and had shows booked across the UK and Europe through December, including a homecoming concert in Cardiff.
Karaoke belter that will never stop playing
Tributes poured in from fans and fellow musicians within hours of the announcement, many recalling nights spent belting out “Total Eclipse of the Heart” at weddings, karaoke bars and last orders in the pub. Few songs have travelled so far beyond the charts into everyday life.
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