Gary Numan broke down on stage at the O2 Academy Birmingham on Saturday evening after receiving what he described as 'the worst news ever'. The 67-year-old musician was performing his song 'Please Push No More' when he became visibly upset, prompting his wife Gemma O'Neil to comfort him mid-performance.
According to reports, Numan told the audience he had received the news that morning and would share details with fans in the coming days once he had processed it. The singer, who has Asperger's syndrome, is currently on his Telekon tour, celebrating the 45th anniversary of the album which reached UK number one in 1980.
Numan is scheduled to continue the tour with dates in Bristol, Cardiff, Bournemouth, London, Brighton, Southend, Nottingham, Cambridge, Norwich, Manchester, Liverpool, Dublin, and Belfast before a Christmas break. He will then perform on The 80's Cruise 2026 and head to the US for another leg.
This incident comes shortly after Numan celebrated his 1,000th gig, a milestone he credited to a fan who tracked his performances. He described the achievement as 'quite something' and reflected on the 'extraordinary effort, sacrifice, commitment (and stress)' involved in touring.
Numan has been married to Gemma since 1997, and she has been a key support throughout his career. He previously credited her with helping him overcome depression and regain confidence in his abilities, saying she made him realise his strengths.
