Tearful Adele postpones Las Vegas residency 24 hours before start due to Covid

Adele has postponed the start of her Las Vegas residency, which was due to begin on Friday, because the show has been "absolutely destroyed" by delivery delays and coronavirus.

The award-winning singer said she and her production team had tried "absolutely everything" to pull the show together in time but that it had been "impossible".

In an emotional post on social media announcing the last-minute decision, Adele apologised to fans and promised that dates would be rescheduled.

Disappointed fans took to social media to express their anger after some had spent thousands of pounds travelling to the concert, while resale tickets were listed at more than £20,000. One called the decision "a slap in the face".

Adele said: "I'm so sorry but my show ain't ready. We've tried absolutely everything that we can to pull it together in time and for it to be good enough for you but we've been absolutely destroyed by delivery delays and Covid.

"Half my team are down with Covid, they still are, and it's impossible to finish the show. I can't give you what I have right now and I'm gutted and I'm sorry it's so last minute."

The Easy On Me singer said team members had been awake for "over 30 hours" trying to figure out how to put on the show but they had now "run out of time".

"I'm so upset and I'm really embarrassed and I'm so sorry to everyone who has travelled again. I'm really sorry."

Saying she was "sorry" eight times in a 92-second message, especially for people who had traveled to Las Vegas for the show, Adele said the delays prevented her from perfecting the show to her standards and she promised to reschedule.

"We're on it right now we're going to reschedule all the dates and I'm going to finish my show and I'm going to get it to where it needs to be.

"It's been impossible, we've been up against so much and it just ain't ready. I'm really sorry."

Tickets for the shows – which were due to take place every weekend until April – ranged from £60 to £500 and were Adele's first live concerts in five years.

'Lack of notice is astounding': Fans' fury at last-minute cancellation

Some fans now face losing hundreds of pounds from flights and hotel reservations.

Gillian Rowland-Kain, who lives in New York, was on a flight to Las Vegas for Friday night's show when she found out about the postponement via social media.

She said: "Her lack of notice is astounding. I'm angry and frustrated.

"I was furious that Adele waited so last minute to make this call.

"I recognise it's not a call any artist wants to make but she would've known yesterday that the show wouldn't be ready by tomorrow."

She added that the last-minute cancellation felt "like a slap in the face".

Josh Chavis, who lives in Missouri, told the BBC that his wife Heather paid nearly £1,300 for her hotel and flights for a show this weekend.

Mr Chavis said that his wife was disappointed - and even Adele announcing it a few days sooner "would have made all the difference" in terms of being able to secure refunds or rearrangements.

"We recognise that things are hard for everyone" Mr Chavis said, "but this is a huge misstep on the part of both the performer and those responsible for putting the show together".

There was also plenty of supportive responses to Adele's announcement on social media.

@ashlovert wrote: 'I had tickets to see u tomorrow and it’s fine, health will always come first and specially in times like this, can’t wait for all the shows to get rescheduled cuz I can’t wait to have the best time of my life with you on stage, pls don’t feel guilty, it breaks my heart, I LOVE YOU.'

Others made fun of her emotional delivery. 'I like you Adele, but come on,' wrote @lAndyHwk. 'No No need to bawl your eyes out. It's postponing a few shows. In the grand scheme of everything going on in the world, it's really not a big deal.'

Adele's residency was due to begin at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace Hotel on January 21.

The shows were to follow her latest album 30, which debuted at No 1 in 30 countries in November.

Concert residencies in Las Vegas have become a major attraction in the recent years for musicians who do not wish to travel extensively.

Celine Dion, Katy Perry, Carrie Underwood, Usher, Barry Manilow and Shania Twain are among the top acts to have recently scheduled multiple concert dates in Las Vegas.