Iconic rock band cancel string of gigs after terrifying health issue forces frontman to ‘seek medical help immediately’

FANS have been left devastated after a major US rock group was forced to cancel a string of eagerly awaited shows because of its frontman’s health. Jimmy Eat World singer Jim Adkins discovered he was suffering from a detached retina after noticing a terrifying “shadow cloud” creeping across his vision. Jimmy Eat World have cancelled four shows after Jim Adkins underwent emergency eye surgery Credit: Getty The group are best known for their smash hit The Middle Credit: Getty The 50-year-old urgently sought medical help as the group prepared to perform at Warped Tour in Mexico City. Doctors discovered he needed immediate surgery and warned that taking to the stage could cause permanent damage to his sight. Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter Thank you! The band were forced to abandon the Mexico City performance before cancelling three further US appearances. They pulled out of Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, as well as a late-night headline gig and festival set at Shaky Knees in Atlanta. The band played three huge UK shows just a month before the health scare Credit: Handout Jim noticed a terrifying ‘shadow cloud’ creeping across his vision before a show Credit: Instagram In a statement shared on Instagram, Jim said he was now back home and beginning his recovery. It is not known what caused his condition, which occurs when the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye pulls away and can lead to permanent sight loss without urgent treatment. The news comes just a month after the band played three huge UK shows in Halifax, Cardiff and London to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their album Bleed American. One fan poignantly replied to the news simply with some of the band’s lyrics, quoting The Middle back to them. Most read in Showbiz They wrote: “It just takes some time. Everything, everything’ll be just fine. Everything, everything’ll be alright, alright” Bleed American, which features The Middle, has surpassed one billion streams on Spotify and continues to be credited as pushing alternative music into the mainstream. Comment now