Barry Manilow has revealed a health battle that has touched the hearts of people around the world, sharing that the diagnosis came after his holiday concert series.
Days into the new year, the 82-year-old music legend shared a photo that appeared to be taken in a hospital, reassuring fans with a hopeful message.
Barry Manilow performs at The Palladium in London on May 23, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
Barry Manilow Reveals Serious Health Diagnosis
On December 21, 2025, the “Copacabana” singer announced on Instagram that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer. The illness was discovered after he experienced a six-week bout of bronchitis, followed by a second relapse that lasted an additional five weeks.
Because the bronchitis persisted for so long, doctors ordered an MRI as a precaution. The scan revealed a small cancerous spot on his left lung, which Manilow said was caught early thanks to “pure luck” and a skilled doctor. He explained that he would undergo surgery to have the spot removed.
He also reassured fans that chemotherapy and radiation would not be part of his treatment, and joked that chicken soup and “I Love Lucy” reruns were his go-to comforts during recovery.
The news came shortly after he wrapped his seventh annual Christmas charity concert series at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert. The performances have raised millions for nonprofit groups across California’s Coachella Valley and continue to be a highlight of his year.
How Barry Manilow Is Doing After the New
On January 2, 2026, Manilow shared a smiling photo from a bed, wearing a hospital gown, with the caption, “Better Today!” Netizens flooded the comments with messages of love and support.
One supporter wrote, “You even make that hospital gown look Fine! 😉🥰 Be Well! ❤️” Another added, “Keep healing. Barry.. You can do it. God is Good all the time.” A third shared, “Oh good!! Hang in there….you got to ‘Write the Songs’……that make the young girls cry!🫂🫂❤️👍”
Tour Rescheduled as Barry Manilow Focuses on Recovery
Due to his recovery from lung surgery, Manilow has postponed the January 2026 dates of his arena tour. The concerts have been rescheduled between late February and April, and all original tickets will be honored at the new shows.
The updated tour begins in Tampa, Florida, on February 27, then moves to Columbus, Ohio, on March 6, Charleston, South Carolina, on March 11, Orlando on March 13, and Sunrise on March 14.
Manilow will then perform two nights in Estero on March 16 and 17. In April, the tour continues in Greensboro, North Carolina, on April 24, Jacksonville on April 27, and concludes in Duluth, Georgia, on April 29.
Barry Manilow performs onstage during his “Manilow: The Last Seattle Concert” on July 12, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
Manilow also confirmed that his Valentine’s weekend shows, set for February 12, 13, and 14 at Westgate Las Vegas, a venue he calls his “home away from home,” will go as planned.
At the end of his statement, he also shared a heartfelt reminder about taking care of their health: “And remember, if you have even the slightest symptom… get tested!”
He expressed a growing awareness that many of his contemporaries from the same era were no longer performing, either due to retirement or health issues, naming artists such as Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, and Neil Diamond. Manilow
Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, and Barry Manilow at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards Pre-Party in Beverly Hills on February 22, 2000 | Source: Getty Images
There may be no formal retirement date, but Manilow acknowledged that these performances mark a turning point in his decades-long career. For the first time, he said, he knows he won’t be coming back to these cities, something he described as a “bittersweet experience.”
He admitted he “never felt that before,” explaining that in the past, there was always the expectation of returning. But now, after performing in the same places “over and over and over,” he knows “this is it.”
Barry Manilow performs onstage at the Pre-Grammy Gala and Grammy Salute to Industry Icons in Beverly Hills on February 1, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
COVID Heartbreak Couldn’t Keep Him Down
It is not the first time health has challenged Manilow’s plans. In 2022, he tested positive for COVID-19 just hours before opening night of his stage musical “Harmony.” The moment, he said in an emotional Instagram post, was devastating:
Although he was unable to attend, Manilow encouraged fans to go in his place. Emphasizing the strength and resilience of New Yorkers, he urged people to wear a mask and support live theatre by showing up for the performance.