Ariana Grande was forced to skip a performance honoring the Manchester bombing victims at the 2018 BRIT Awards.
The “Side to Side” singer was set to be a special guest at the UK awards show on Wednesday for a tribute performance remembering the tragic events that took place outside of her 2017 concert in England, but she had to pull out of the show due to health reasons that kept her from flying.
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Geoff Taylor, chief executive of the BRIT Awards, said Grande wished to attend and perform, but she was unable to travel “on doctor’s orders.”
“We think it’s really important to recognize that terrible atrocity and the impact on so many lives so I can confirm we did have Ariana Grande lined up to make a performance tonight,” Taylor said, according to BBC.
“Unfortunately she was not able to travel on doctor’s orders, she’s not well, and I can say that there will be something tonight, I can’t say any more than that but people should tune in and watch,” he added. “And hopefully it will be a fitting remembrance and recognition of what happened, which was so terrible.”
At the ceremony, Liam Gallagher stepped in for the 24-year-old pop star to perform Oasis’ song “Live Forever.”
Grande later posted on her Instagram story a video of Gallagher performing the tribute and remembering the 22 lives lost in the bombing, which took place outside Manchester Arena on May 22.
While she couldn’t attend the BRIT Awards on Wednesday, Grande previously put together a star-studded benefit concert following the attack called “One Love Manchester.” The live concert featured performances by Grande, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Pharrell Williams and Coldplay, among others to raise millions of dollars for the Red Cross’ We Love Manchester emergency fund.
For her efforts to help and support victims’ families and survivors of the tragedy, Grande was made an honorary citizen of Manchester last July.
