Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler dies at 75: Family shares emotional statement

Bonnie Tyler, the Welsh singer behind Total Eclipse of the Heart, has died at 75 in Portugal. Tributes from her family and public figures marked the end of a career defined by global hits.

In Short

• Bonnie Tyler died in a Portugal hospital after treatment for an illness
• Her family and team said they were heartbroken by the loss
• She underwent emergency intestinal surgery near Faro in May

Singer Bonnie Tyler, best known for Total Eclipse of the Heart and Holding Out for a Hero, died at the age of 75, her family confirmed. The Welsh singer died in a hospital in Portugal after being treated for an illness, according to a statement posted on her official Facebook page. Her death led to tributes from her family, fans and political leaders.

Tyler's family and team said they were ‘heartbroken’ by her death. In their statement, they said, "Bonnie’s family and team are heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also paid tribute, calling her ‘one of Britain’s greatest recording artists’.

Starmer’s spokesperson said, "The prime minister is saddened to hear about the death of Bonnie Tyler, one of Britain’s greatest recording artists, an iconic figure. She leaves behind a catalogue of music, from Total Eclipse of the Heart to Holding Out for a Hero that continues to touch lives, flood dance floors, and fill karaoke booths."

Tyler had undergone emergency intestinal surgery at a hospital near Faro, Portugal, in May. She was later placed in an induced coma to help her recovery before being taken out of it. However, her representative had said she remained in intensive care, according to The Guardian.

Her brother, Paul Hopkins, shared an emotional message on Facebook after her death. He wrote, "Yesterday my sister lost her battle with her illness.’ He added: ‘We are totally devastated as a family, she was such a loving, wonderful human, she always had time for all her family, friends and her fans.’ He ended his tribute with the words, ‘I will love you forever."

Life and journey

Born Gaynor Hopkins in Skewen near Swansea in Wales, Tyler began her career by singing cover songs in local clubs while working in a grocery shop. After she was discovered by a talent scout, she signed with RCA Records and took the stage name Bonnie Tyler. Her breakthrough came with It’s a Heartache in 1977, but she reached worldwide fame in 1983 with Total Eclipse of the Heart. Written and produced by Jim Steinman, the song topped the charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom and became one of the defining songs of the 1980s.

She followed that success with Holding Out for a Hero, which featured on the soundtrack of the 1984 film Footloose. The song further established her as one of the era’s biggest pop stars.

Tyler later represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013 with Believe in Me. She continued recording and touring in her later years, and her final studio album, The Best Is Yet to Come, was released in 2021.

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