Rihanna cancels Grammys performance last minute leaving fans devastated

There was a notable Ri-Ri-shaped hole in Grammys proceedings

Rihanna took part in rehearsals but pulled out on doctor's orders (Getty Images)

Rihanna was forced to cancel her Grammys performance at the eleventh hour after falling ill with bronchitis.

The singer left fans borderline devastated by her no-show at the music awards ceremony on Monday night despite rehearsing “Kiss It Better” at Los Angeles’ Staples Center earlier in the day.

Sadly, the circumstances were beyond Ri-Ri’s control as a doctor ordered her to rest her voice for at least 48 hours. Had she performed, Rihanna would have been at “risk haemorrhaging of her vocal cords”, her representative told Billboard. The 27-year-old had been on antibiotics over the weekend but the medication “did not kill the infection adequately”.

Rihanna tweeted an apology to fans and thanked the Grammys and network CBS for their support but her absence from the night made for a notable anticlimax.

The chart-topper is set to launch her Anti world tour later this month, so will need to be in good health to tackle the demands of an energetic live show. Her eighth album reached number one on the US albums chart after its release at the end of January.