A major gig which was set to take place in South Wales has been “cancelled” - three years after it was originally set to go ahead.

Like so many other musical events, the highly anticipated Lionel Richie gig at Cardiff Castle did not go ahead as scheduled in the summer of 2020.

Due to the global covid pandemic, the legendary singer’s event was postponed until the following year, and then postponed a second time, with the virus continuing to cause carnage.

This year, it was set to take place on June 2.

Now, it has been confirmed that the axe has fallen on the gig for the third and final time, with the American singer cancelling his entire European tour.

The 72-year-old confirmed that the decision comes as a result of the continuing covid situation.

Taking to social media, Mr Richie said: “As Covid and its variants continue to impact the world, I have decided to hold off on my European tour this summer.

“The most important thing to me is the health of my fans, band and crew.

“I hope you all understand and I hope to see you very soon when we can all gather safely.

“Please visit individual festival/event websites for further information and details on how to collect refunds.”

Unlike the 2020 and 2021 postponements, no alternative date has been offered at this time.

What’s more, ticketholders have been contacted by their points of purchase informing them that “this event has been cancelled.”

With no alternative date for the event, the refund process has automatically begun, though ticket holders are warned that “given the extraordinary circumstances, our refund process is taking slightly longer than usual”.

Along with his Cardiff Castle show, the singer - known for hits such as Hello and Dancing on the Ceiling, has pulled out of other European shows, including the Isle of Wight Festival.

At this time, other summer events at Cardiff Castle look set to go ahead as usual.

These include global artists Gerry Cinnamon, Diana Ross, Michael Bublé and Bryan Adams.