Sir Rod Stewart pens heartbreaking tribute to 'darling' Bonnie Tyler after singer's death

Sir Rod Stewart has paid an emotional tribute to Bonnie Tyler following the death of the Welsh music icon at the age of 75.

The singer shared a heartfelt message on Instagram after news broke Ms Tyler, best known for Total Eclipse of the Heart and It's a Heartache, had died in hospital in Portugal on Wednesday.

Posting white text on a black background to his Instagram feed, Sir Rod reflected on their decades-long friendship and the similarities that saw Ms Tyler frequently compared to him throughout her career.

"We shared similar styles of vocalising," Sir Rod wrote.

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"She was a good pal, a true soul stirrer. I sing It's A Heartache every night on tour. I'll miss you, darling Bonnie."

The touching tribute prompted an outpouring of emotion from fans, who remembered Ms Tyler's extraordinary legacy and the close bond between the two rock stars.

One follower wrote: "She sang the songs you put the roof down on your car and sang your heart out too."

Another commented: "Such sad news that our dear Bonnie Tyler has left us today! May God comfort her entire family and friends, and may she rest in peace! She will always be in our hearts."

A third added: "May God rest her soul and bring peace to all who love her."

Another fan recalled seeing Sir Rod perform one of Ms Tyler's biggest hits live, writing: "We saw you Rod in Vegas in May and heard you sing her song, mentioned Bonnie's name and you sang it perfectly!!!"

Ms Tyler, born Gaynor Hopkins in Skewen, near Neath, first found fame in 1977 with Lost in France before achieving international success with It's a Heartache.

Her distinctive husky voice quickly drew comparisons with Sir Rod's unmistakable raspy vocals, earning her the nickname "the female Rod Stewart".

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A post shared by Sir Rod Stewart (@sirrodstewart)

Although the pair first met during the 1970s, they went on to develop a lasting friendship built on mutual admiration for one another's music.

In 2019, they recorded their first official duet, Battle of the Sexes, for Ms Tyler's album Between the Earth and the Stars.

Sir Rod had also paid tribute to Ms Tyler's music years earlier by recording his own version of It's a Heartache for his 2006 album Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time and regularly performed the song during his live shows.

Ms Tyler's family confirmed she died in hospital in Portugal, where she had been receiving treatment for an illness.

A statement posted on her official website read: "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."

The singer's defining hit, Total Eclipse of the Heart, topped the charts in both the UK and the United States in 1983 and became one of the biggest-selling songs of the decade.

She represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013 and was appointed an MBE in 2023 for services to music.

Ms Tyler is survived by her husband, Robert Sullivan, whom she married in 1973.

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