Patti Smith has thanked hospital staff after a health scare that forced her to cancel a gig.

The ‘Queen of punk’, 76, was set to perform at the Teatro Duse in Bologna, Italy, on Tuesday (12.12.23) night, but the venue announced in an Instagram story it had cancelled the show due to the ‘Because the Night’ singer’s condition.

She has now posted a photo of herself on Instagram with the emergency workers who helped her to thank them for their care – and to apologise to fans.

Patti captioned the image of herself grinning in the centre of the group of staff: “This is thanking all at the hospital for their help and guidance.

“I am so sorry that we had to cancel concerts in Bologna and Venice. I will return to fulfill my happy obligations.

“This is also to thank all the medical teams globally, who attend to the people’s needs, especially those altruistically serving under fire, all healers, physicians, nurses, attendants.

“Also I want to thank everyone for sending messages of love and concern. I am resting, as the doctor ordered, grateful to have had such care, though being painfully aware that many are not so fortunate.”

In a statement translated from Italian, the Local Health Authority of Bologna said on Wednesday (13.12.23) night the singer had been discharged from the hospital earlier that day following a “short period of observation in emergency”.

It added: “Patti Smith is discharged and in good health conditions.”

The medical team also said it hopes to see the singer back on stage soon after “an appropriate period of rest”.

More details of Patti’s illness are not yet known.

Patti’s upcoming shows in Venice and Milan on Thursday and Friday have also reportedly been axed because of her health scare, and it is unclear whether they will be rescheduled.

Before her hospitalisation, Patti posted on Instagram about her time in Siena, including four black-and-white photos of streets and the interior of an ornate cathedral.

She captioned them: “This is Siena at night. The mystery of history, present tense energy. Impossible embraceable Siena at night.”