Jimmy Barnes says he must undergo open heart surgery after a bacterial infection spread to his heart.
The 67-year-old 'Working Class Man' singer told fans it had all happened very quickly.
Posting on Facebook, Barnes said: "Unfortunately I got some bad news late yesterday. Despite everyone's best efforts the bacterial infection I've been battling over the past fortnight has apparently now spread to my heart.
"It's infected an otherwise healthy valve that was replaced some years ago due to a congenital defect, so I'll be getting open heart surgery over the next few hours to clear out this infection and put in a clean valve."
Barnes also said just a few weeks ago he was the fittest he had been "in decades".
"This has all happened very suddenly so it's going to take a few days for everyone to figure out what's going to be doable with my upcoming shows."
He also thanked doctors and fans for their support and also his "darling" wife Jane.
Barnes ended his social media post by wishing everyone a happy 2024 as they may not hear from him for a while "given the serious nature of the operation".
