Lily Allen forced to cancel US shows due to illness after being 'shaken up by news from back home'

Singer thanked her fans for their understanding in a tweet on 31 October

(IBL/REX)

Lily Allen has been forced to pull out of her shows in Chicago and Minneapolis due to inflamed vocal chords.

The pop singer posted a brief statement on Twitter apologising to her fans and promising to try and reschedule.

"My throat and vocal chords are so inflamed and angry," she tweeted. "Working on rescheduling and will have more info for you as soon as I get it. I am so sorry, I was so looking forward to seeing y'all."

Asked if she was OK, she reportedly then replied: "Not really. I can't speak and I'm very shaken up by news from back home," Metro reports.

She later added: "Overwhelmed by all the well wishers and how understanding everyone is being, thank you all so much. I will make it up to you all I promise. I have the best fans."

Allen released her memoir, My Thoughts Exactly, in September. On the same day she attended the 2018 Hyundai Mercury Prize, where she was shortlisted for her most recent album No Shame.

The Independent praised the singer for tackling issues surrounding her personal life "in an offhand and always bluntly honest manner".