Jennifer Lopez has admitted cancelling her summer tour earlier this year was the ‘best thing she’d ever done’ amid her split from husband of two-years Ben Affleck.
The songstress, 55, pulled the plug on her This Is Me… Live concerts in May, telling fans at the time she was ‘heartsick and devastated’ to ‘let them down’, before later confirming in divorce documents that the couple had split the previous month.
A statement at the time read that Jennifer was retreating from the spotlight ‘to be with her children’ and speaking on Friday’s Graham Norton show she said: ‘I took the summer off to be home with the kids, which is the best thing I have ever done’.
Jennifer, who shares 16-year-old twins Max and Emme with ex-husband Marc Anthony continued: ‘It was not like me to do that, so I always want to apologise to the fans’.
The hitmaker then recalled how she met a fan the day before her chat show appearance, who revealed he’d bought a seat to one of her now scrapped gigs.
Jennifer Lopez, 55, has admitted cancelling her summer tour earlier this year was the ‘best thing she’d ever done’ amid her split from husband of two-years Ben Affleck
The songstress pulled the plug on her This Is Me… Live concerts in May, telling fans at the time she was ‘heartsick and devastated’ to ‘let them down’ (Ben and Jennifer picture in January)
A statement at the time read that Jennifer was retreating from the spotlight ‘to be with her children’ and speaking on Friday’s Graham Norton show she said: ‘I took the summer off to be home with the kids, which is the best thing I have ever done’
‘[He] came up to me and said, “I had tickets to come and see you”. When I apologised, he said “Don’t say sorry we love you”. I started crying straight away.’
Jennifer was then emotional when it was revealed the fan was actually in the studio audience as she gasped: ‘Was that you? I don’t believe it.’
Before thanking him once more for his kind words with a big hug.
Following news of the tour’s cancellation Jennifer, Lopez, who listed the date of separation as April 26, 2024, sent this special message to her fans through her OntheJLo site.
‘I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down,’ the Hustlers star began.
‘Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary.
‘I promise I will make it up to you and we will all be together again. I love you all so much. Until next time…’ wrote the producer.
A source told DailyMail.com at the time that JLO was sad to be dropping out of the tour, which was selling well, but needed to be home.
Jennifer, who shares 16-year-old twins Max and Emme (pictured 2022) with ex-husband Marc Anthony continued: ‘It was not like me to do that, so I always want to apologise to the fans’
She then recalled how she met a fan the day before, who revealed he’d bought a seat to one of her now scrapped gigs: ‘he said “Don’t say sorry we love you”. I started crying straight away.’
Jennifer was then emotional when it was revealed the fan was in the studio audience as she gasped: ‘Was that you? I don’t believe it’ (pictured with Jharrel Jerome)
Before thanking him once more for his kind words with a big hug (L-R) Graham Norton, Dwayne Johnson, Lucy Liu, Kate Winslet, Jennifer Lopez and Jharrel Jerome
‘She’s taking time off to be with family and close friends,’ said the insider as they noted she had been rehearsing often for the show and was ready to commit, but felt it was time for a break.
‘This was a very difficult decision made by Jennifer this week and she’s sorry to her fans.’
This decision was not made around ticket sales as the tour was actually doing well in most key cities and there had been a good uptick, a source told DailyMail.com.
There were rumours the tour was not selling well when it was billed as This Is Me… Now in support of her recent album that went with her film.
But when it was changed to a greatest hits tour called This Is Me… Live, tickets started selling very well.
Jennifer was appearing on the BBC chat show to promote her new movie Unstoppable alongside co-star Jharrel Jerome.
And Ben had massive praise for estranged wife’s performance in the forthcoming film.
Jennifer was appearing on the BBC chat show to promote her new movie Unstoppable alongside, and Ben had massive praise for estranged wife performance in the forthcoming film
The Air actor-director, 52, said that ‘Jennifer is spectacular’ in the role of Judy Robles in the sports drama
Jennifer filed for divorce in August, on the two-year anniversary of their nuptials at the Oscar winner’s estate outside of Savannah, Georgia on August 20, 2022 (pictured 2023
The Air actor-director, 52, told Entertainment Tonight on Sunday that ‘Jennifer is spectacular’ in the role of Judy Robles in the sports drama.
‘Unstoppable is a very different movie than this but in a way, it’s similarly rooted in the passion of really talented artists,’ said Ben. ‘Goldenberg and Jennifer and Don Cheadle and Jharrel, and Bobby Cannavale – all were really passionate about this film.’
Ben said that Unstoppable ‘is another example of’ the kind of films that he and Damon are ‘really really proud of,’ and ‘believed in the right people’ in collaborating with.
Jennifer filed for divorce from Ben in August after months of speculation swirling around the relationship between the A-list singer-actress and actor-director.
She filed the documents on the two-year anniversary of their nuptials at Affleck’s estate outside of Savannah, Georgia on August 20, 2022.
The duo made headlines in 2021 when they rekindled their romance, nearly 17 years after calling off their original engagement and postponing their September 2003 wedding.
The Graham Norton Show, BBC One, Friday 8th November 10.40pm. Also available on BBC iPlayer.
(L-R) Dwayne Johnson, Lucy Liu, Kate Winslet, Graham Norton, Jennifer Lopez, Jharrel Jerome and Celeste