Tom Jones ‘thought this was it’ following week-long hospital stay for pneumonia

Sir Tom Jones told the audience at his rescheduled Los Angeles concert that he thought he might die during a recent bout of pneumonia. His return to the stage after a week in hospital highlights the seriousness of the illness and the importance he places on performing.

Jones said he spent two days in intensive care after struggling to breathe, having initially mistaken the symptoms for flu. Doctors discharged him and asked what he wanted to do next; he said he needed to return to the stage. The concert had been postponed alongside a San Diego show, and came during his 25-date Come Gather Round tour, which began in September.