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Last month the Babyshambles frontman was forced to cancel a number of solo performances in Ireland, due to what was referred to at the time as “exhaustion.” Now, in an interview with NME, the former Libertine reveals that he’d been on life support in the hospital during that time. 

 

Doherty told NME.com: “If I hadn’t been on a life support machine I’d have been in Ireland. But my heart stopped.”

 

The singer was forced to cancel performances in Belfast, Dublin and Galway due to serious health problems, which were treated at Swindon’s Great Western Hospital. Doherty currently has an implant that cancels any effects heroin or cocaine would have on his body, and he insists that drugs were not the reason for the hospital stay.

He continued: “Their [doctors’] immediate thought was that it was to do with drugs but it wasn’t. What happened? Well, I don’t know. I don’t remember. I was running into the walls, making steering wheel signs with my hands. And then I just… stopped. My body just stopped.”

 

After an overnight stay, Doherty was allowed to leave the hospital and now says he’s looking forward to touring with Babyshambles in December, a tour being “just what the doctor ordered.”

 

The November 25 issue of NME features the full length interview with the singer.