Olivia Newton-John has been forced to cancel forthcoming Las Vegas dates before they have even begun, as she has found out that her sister has been diagnosed with cancer. The pop singer revealed that her Flamingo residency will have to be postponed, now that she has discovered the difficult family news. Olivia herself was diagnosed with breast cancer over 20 years ago and had to have a mastectomy as well as chemotherapy treatments.

In a statement, the former Grease star said “I received the very sad news that my beautiful sister, Rona Newton-John, has been diagnosed with brain cancer. In light of this news, I have decided to postpone my forthcoming Las Vegas residency to spend time with her and our family. As a cancer ‘thriver’ myself, as many people are, I am very aware of the importance of love, support and family during this journey she is about to begin. I want to thank everyone in advance for respecting our privacy during this difficult time.”

It is currently understood that Olivia will return to the entertainment capital, eventually, though it’s not clear when. She was originally chosen to substitute for Donny & Marie Osmond’s away dates, the Las Vegas Sun but had not even inked the contracts before announcing that she would have to cancel. 

Olivia Newton John
Olivia Newton-John - the singer had to cancel her Las Vegas appearances