Bryan Adams has launched an expletive-filled rant over the coronavirus pandemic, in the week he was due to begin a concert residency in London.
The Canadian singer and photographer, 60, was booked to play a string of dates at the Royal Albert Hall but they were put on hold due to the outbreak.
Introducing an acoustic performance of his song Cuts Like A Knife on Instagram, Adams wrote: “Tonight was supposed to be the beginning of a tenancy of gigs at the @royalalberthall, but thanks to some f****** bat eating, wet market animal selling, virus making greedy bastards, the whole world is now on hold, not to mention the thousands that have suffered or died from this virus.”
The Covid-19 outbreak is widely thought to have originated in a “wet market” in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where it is believed to have made the jump from animals to humans.
However, debunked theories initially circulated suggesting the virus was created in a laboratory, or through the eating of bats.
Adams, who is vegan, did not clarify who his message was aimed at but critics on social media accused him of being anti-Chinese.
A tweet linking to the post from his Twitter account was deleted, although the Instagram post remained online.
In the lengthy message, Adams urged people to learn from the outbreak and “go vegan”.
Addressing his fans, he added: “To all the people missing out on our shows, I wish I could be there more than you know.
“It’s been great hanging out in isolation with my children and family, but I miss my other family, my band, my crew and my fans.
“Take care of yourselves and hope we can get the show on the road again soon.”
He said that to mark this week’s London shows, he would play a snippet from each album he had planned to perform, across the next few days.
Adams is best known for releasing a string of hits in the 1980s. His hits include Summer Of ’69, Heaven and (Everything I Do) I Do It For You.
His representatives have been contacted for comment.