Pop sensation George Michael has been forced to postpone the remainder of his 2011 UK tour, after the announcement earlier this week that the singer had been struck down with pneumonia whilst on the European leg of his Symphonica tour in Vienna.

Initially, just the Cardiff dates were to be postponed, but on the advice of his doctors, the remainder of the 2011 dates will now also be postponed.

An earlier postponed date, which was due at the Royal Albert Hall on 26th October was this week rescheduled for 2nd May 2012, and that is the only date still scheduled at present.

An official statement posted on George's site reads:

It's with great sadness that we must announce the postponement of the remaining dates on the Symphonica tour due to George's on-going battle with pneumonia. While George is receiving excellent medical care and is responding to treatment and slowly improving, to ensure his complete well-being, George's doctors have advised that he cannot perform the rest of his Symphonica tour and that he instead takes a full and complete rest. Discussions and preparations are currently under way in order to arrange the rescheduled dates and further announcements will be made at the earliest opportunity. In the meantime, tickets holders are asked to retain their tickets.

Update: Rescheduled dates announced!

After George Michael's recent health-scare, the singer has reported that he's fighting fit and ready to finally get his "Symphonica" tour back on track. All of the rescheduled dates come with a guarantee that original 2011 tickets from the postponed shows will be valid for the new run during the autumn. George will call at Birmingham first, before playing Manchester, Glasgow, London's Royal Albert Hall for one night (orig for 2nd May, now 29th Sep), Sheffield, Newcastle, Liverpool and three nights in October at Earl's Court, back in London. New tickets can be purchased now, priced from £51.