Status Quo cancel six concerts after Rick Parfitt taken to hospital

The English rock band were due to play a series of gigs across Europe

Rick Parfitt of Status Quo performs in 2013 (Getty Images)

Status Quo have been forced to shelve several concerts after guitarist Rick Parfitt fell ill.

The 65-year-old star was taken ill on Friday and rushed to hospital, where he was kept overnight.

Status Quo are currently on their European tour and were due to perform in Pula, Croatia yesterday but the gig was abandoned, along with five other shows that were going to take place in Monte Carlo, Switzerland and Germany.

According to Status Quo’s official site, the next performance will take place on the 15 August in Nottingham.

In a post on the group's Facebook page, Status Quo's manager Simon Porter said: “The band do not cancel shows lightly, as any of our fans will tell you, but in this instance we have no option but to follow medical advice.”

The musician, who has previously suffered from ill health, had a quadruple heart bypass in 1997 after doctors warned him about his dangerous lifestyle. Then, in 2005, he had to cancel a tour to undergo tests for suspected throat cancer.

Parfitt’s son, also called Rick, posted on Twitter yesterday, “Hi all,...just to say that Dad is ok, but he has to stop thinking he is invincible that is all I can say right now. #WorriedandUpset”.

The cause of Parfitt's condition has not been revealed but more information will be released next week.