René Froger cancels anniversary show at Ahoy due to autoimmune disease

René Froger has cancelled his anniversary show that was planned at Rotterdam Ahoy due to serious health problems. The singer announced on Thursday that he has been diagnosed with polymyositis, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body's own muscles. Because of this, the December performance he had planned to mark the anniversary will not be going ahead.

Froger took to Instagram to share how hard this has hit him. "My body is now making it very clear that I need to rest. That is tough for me," he wrote, describing it as painful to be forced to take a step back. The illness is leaving him no choice but to focus on recovery and rest.

Despite the setback, Froger is holding on to the hope of returning to the stage next May as part of De Toppers. De Toppers is the supergroup in which Froger performs alongside Gordon and Gerard Joling, and they traditionally play the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam. Whether those plans can go ahead will of course depend on how his recovery progresses over the coming months.

For fans who had already bought tickets for the anniversary show at Ahoy, the cancellation is a real disappointment. Froger is a well known entertainment figure in the Netherlands with a long career behind him, and an anniversary concert at a major venue like Rotterdam Ahoy was a very special prospect. His openness about the diagnosis and its impact has prompted an outpouring of support from his fanbase.