Elton John hospitalised with "serious respiratory infection"

Sir Elton John performed at the funeral of the late Diana, Princess of Wales

British singer Sir Elton John cancels four shows after being rushed to hospital in Los Angeles due to a "serious respiratory infection", reports suggest. 

The 65-year-old was taken to Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles at around 6am yesterday morning, according to entertainment blog TMZ.

He then underwent tests before being told to rest four seven days by doctors, forcing the cancellation of four concerts which had been scheduled for this weekend as part of his Million Dollar Piano residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

Speaking to TMZ, the singer said: "It feels strange not to be able to perform these Million Dollar Piano concerts at the Colosseum. I love performing the show and I will be thrilled when we return to the Colosseum in October to complete the 11 concerts.

"All I can say to the fans is 'sorry I can't be with you'," he added.

It is now thought that Sir Elton has been discharged and is recuperating at home.

This is the second time this year that the singer-songwriter has been forced to cancel concerts – in February, he abandoned two concerts at Caesars Palace after becoming ill with food poisoning.

Sir Elton – who was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight – is one of the most recognisable faces in music, having had a pop career spanning 45 years, selling more than 250 million records worldwide in the process.

His bestselling single, Candle In The Wind 1997, sold 33 million copies alone, after he rewrote the lyrics from his 1974 original to make the song a tribute to the then recently departed Princess Diana.

He is due to release his 31st solo studio album, The Diving Board, next year.