MIKA - SICK MIKA CANCELS LONDON GIGS

British pop star MIKA has been forced to cancel two London gigs after falling ill with a virus. The Grace Kelly hitmaker was due to perform at the capital's Hammersmith Apollo on Monday night (03Dec07) and Brixton Academy on Tuesday night (04Dec07), but had to pull out of the gigs after advice from his doctors. The singer, who hopes to reschedule the concerts for the New Year, says in a statement: "I can only apologise... for the inconvenience and disappointment this postponement has caused. "I thought after last night's (02Dec07) performance I could do the shows, but this morning it was obvious I could not proceed. After consulting a specialist, I have been advised to rest my voice for a minimum of 48 hours. If I did not do this, I would risk long-term damage to my vocal cords."