By Gerard Couzens and Laura Fox and Rory Tingle For Mailonline
Published: 13:28 EST, 16 December 2021 | Updated: 14:07 EST, 16 December 2021
Il Divo star Carlos Marin has Covid-19 and has been put in an induced coma in a hospital intensive care unit in Manchester, forcing the band to cancel their UK tour.
Spain's TVE programme Corazon Corazon reported the 53-year-old singer, who has had the vaccine, fell ill with Covid on December 7 and has been in hospital for a week, citing Marin's agent.
He is under strict observation in the intensive care unit at the Manchester Royal Hospital. The star is stable but has had his 'oxygen compromised' and is being intubated, according to a Spanish newspaper.
TVE reported: 'Every day the singer himself had been telling [his agent] how he felt and the last time they spoke Carlos told him he felt worse. Yesterday the singer wasn't answering his messages and he's now in intensive care and intubated.
Il Divo said today they were 'hoping and praying' for Marín after the group were forced to cancel their UK tour.
Il Divo made their first comment on Mr Marín's condition this afternoon, tweeting: 'Our dear friend and partner, Carlos, is in the hospital. We are hoping and praying for a speedy recovery'
Two weeks ago, Mr Marín shared a selfie video (left) from beside a pool in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, to promote the final leg of Il Divo's tour. A week ago, he shared a video before a concert in Brighton (right). In both instances he looked healthy and happy
Il Divo's concert in Bath on December 6 was the last time Mr Marín (right) was seen on stage
Music promoter Primer Beat, the organiser of a concert in the north-west Spanish city of La Coruna scheduled for December 22 which has been cancelled, said he began to feel ill a 'few days ago.'
The company told regional Galician newspaper La Voz de Galicia: 'He began to feel ill a few days ago. He wanted to continue with the concert, thinking he would recover swiftly.
'But on Tuesday his manager for Europe informed us that as a precaution he had taken the decision to cancel his upcoming concerts and put them back to the summer.'
His agent said: 'His ex-wife Geraldine Larrosa is with him in hospital because although they separated 12 years ago they remain great friends.' The pair are due to perform on TVE1 on New Year's Eve.
French-born singer Geraldine Larrosa, better known by her stage name of Innocence, revealed yesterday she had recorded a New Year's Eve special for Spanish TV with her former husband in which they sing Bohemian Rhapsody.
Despite the fact Carlos is in hospital and Il Divo has cancelled its UK concerts for the rest of the year because of it, she posted pictures of them with the dancers that will accompany them, saying in a message alongside the snaps: 'Finally, we have recorded the New Year's Eve programme.
'Our song of the year, Bohemian Rhapsody. Carlos and I are very happy with our great artist dancer friends. We are very happy to be celebrating December 31 on TVE1 with the whole of Spain. See you soon.'
Fans responded by bombarding her with questions about the Il Divo star's health, but were met with silence.
One South American-based fan said: 'Hello Innocence.
'I will be watching your New Year's Eve show from Colombia but I also wanted to take the opportunity to ask you about the reports that have been circulating saying Carlos is in an intensive care unit in England with respiratory problems.
Writing before his bandmates said they were praying Carlos made a swift recovery, she added: 'Could you tell us please if that information is true?'
Another said: 'Hello beautiful Geraldine. I've just seen the statement saying Carlos is in hospital. Is it true?
'Can you give us any information? We are worried.'
The band also performed in Southend and Bournemouth, where they are pictured on December 4
Il Divo star Carlos Marín - pictured with his ex wife Geraldine Larrosa (stage name Innocence) has been placed in an induced coma after being admitted to hospital
A female fan left perplexed by Innocence's message about their New Year's Eve performance and her choice of the photo of Marin smiling to illustrate their upcoming performance on Spanish TV added: 'I thought Carlos was in the hospital on a ventilator.'
A member of the fan club Il Divo Venezuela wrote alongside the snap: 'Dear Innocence. We want to know about Carlos' state of health please. We are worried because of the statement saying he's hospitalised and the news he's in a serious condition.'
Il Divo made their first comment on Mr Marín's condition this afternoon, tweeting: 'Our dear friend and partner, Carlos, is in the hospital. We are hoping and praying for a speedy recovery.'
Two weeks ago, he shared a selfie video from beside a pool in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, to promote the final leg of Il Divo's tour.
He then performed in Southend, Bournemouth and then, a week ago, in Brighton - when he posted the Instagram video which showed him looking healthy while talking enthusiastically about the upcoming performance.
Il Divo's concert in Bath on December 6 was the last time he was seen on stage and he was admitted to hospital two days later, El Espanol reported. Gigs in Hull and Nottingham were called off then, on December 10, Il Divo announced all subsequent shows had been postponed until 2022.
Il Divo or Mr Marín's bandmates, Urs Buhler, Sébastien Izambard and David Miller, are yet to comment on the nature of Mr Marín's illness. MailOnline has contacted his representative for comment.
He split from the 44-year-old three years later, but they remain friends and have been seen attending events together (including this concert in Madrid)
Mr Marin has been a star of Il Divo since its inception in 2003, and have sold over 30 million copies of their albums worldwide
The singer is reportedly under observation in intensive care in Manchester (pictured second left with L-R David Miller, Urs Buhler and Sebastien Izambard in 2019)
It comes just days after Il Divo announced they'd postponed their remaining UK tour dates until 2022 due to 'illness'
Announcing their tour had been suspended, Il Divo tweeted: 'Unfortunately, due to illness, the remaining dates for Il Divo's December 2021 UK tour have been postponed until December 2022.
'Il Divo are deeply sorry to their fans, but look forward to returning to the road in the new year and seeing you all in the run up to next Christmas.'
Il Divo - which means 'star' in Italian - had been scheduled to perform two festive European shows, one in Lisbon and another in La Coruña, and the latter show was recently postponed until July 15, 2022.
Baritone Marin has been a star of Il Divo since its inception in 2003, and have sold over 30 million copies of their albums worldwide.
The group are also considered the pioneers of operatic pop, or 'popera', and their live concerts have sold more than two million tickets worldwide.
Il Divo was created by Simon Cowell after he decided to form a multinational quartet of classical singers inspired by opera group The Three Tenors, which included Pavarotti.
Last month a 72-year-old woman from Barcelona was convicted of coercion and fined €60 for sending Mr Marín explicit and threatening letters.
The woman - named only as Rosa - was also given a six-month restraining order preventing her from coming within 500metres of Mr Marín.
His lawyer filed an appeal against the lightness of her sentence, noting he'd had to change his 'work and life habits', The Olive Press reported.
Il Divo had been on their first tour in two years when Mr Marín fell ill
The group has a tour of the US - including Dallas and Orlando - still planned for early next year
The group are also considered the pioneers of operatic pop, or popera, and their live concerts have sold more than two million tickets worldwide (pictured in 2019)
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