Johnny Depp sorry to pull out of Hollywood Vampires concerts with ankle fracture
By Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter
Johnny Depp has said he is “sorry” to be pulling out of his band’s concerts due to an ankle fracture.
Hollywood Vampires – which consists of Alice Cooper and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry along with Depp – will be rescheduling the tour’s dates.
The supergroup was set to play the SHNU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire on Tuesday, Boch Centre – Wang Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts on Wednesday and Bethel Woods Centre For The Arts in Bethel, New York on Thursday.
Depp, 59, and the band were previously forced to cancel their 2020 tour due to the pandemic.
On Monday, Depp told his Instagram followers: “My dear friends, I am sorry to say that I have fractured my ankle, which is a drag!!!
“It began as a hairline break but somewhere between Cannes and the Royal Albert Hall, it got worse rather than better.
“Several medical professionals have strongly suggested I avoid any and all activity for the moment and so am sadly unable to travel at this time.
“To that end, the guys and I are very sorry to miss you in New Hampshire, Boston and New York but fear not, I promise we will bring an amazing show to all of you in Europe and bring our absolute best to the East Coast later this summer and make it up to those who have paid for those shows!!!
“Again, sincerest apologies. All my love and respect, JD x.”
Depp had been at the Cannes Film Festival this month for the premiere of French film Jeanne Du Barry, his first film for three years.
Last week, he had also performed along with other musicians such as Ronnie Wood at the Royal Albert Hall in London to pay tribute to Jeff Beck, who died in January at the age of 78 after contracting bacterial meningitis.
Depp had met Beck in 2016 before going on to record an album, titled 18, with the Grammy-winner and play a series of gigs.
His UK tour with Hollywood Vampires is set to kick off in Scarborough on July 5th, with stops in Swansea, Manchester, London and Birmingham before ending in Glasgow on July 12th.
This will follow after a string of tour dates across Europe including Germany, France and Switzerland.
Hollywood Vampires wrote on Twitter that it is “sad” to be “rescheduling our three US tour dates this coming week”.
The statement also said: “Johnny has sustained a painful injury to his ankle following his recent appearances and has been advised by his doctor not to travel.
“He is devastated by this turn of events, but looks forward to resting up so all four vampires can bring their absolute best to the tour in Europe.”
The new dates have been confirmed for Boston on July 28th, Manchester, New Hampshire on July 29th and Bethel on July 30th.
Last year, Depp was involved in a defamation trial with his ex-wife Amber Heard.
In June 2022, a jury returned a verdict in Depp’s favour and he was awarded $10.3 million for damage to his reputation.
Aquaman actress Heard, 37, later sought to appeal against the verdict before she made the “very difficult decision” to settle her multimillion-dollar US defamation case against Depp.