Pogues singer Shane MacGowan’s wife shares harrowing hospital photo of star and asks for 'love and prayers'

15 November 2023, 12:13

The wife of The Pogues rocker Shane MacGowan has shared a heartbreaking photo of the singer and asked fans to send their ‘love and prayers’.

Shane is pictured in a hospital bed using breathing apparatus as he battles a brain condition.

He has been in intensive care for months after being diagnosed with viral encephalitis last year.

His wife Victoria Mary Clarke wrote on Twitter last night: “I just wanted to say a massive thanks to everyone who has been messaging me and ⁦

@ShaneMacGowan and thank you  ⁦@spiderstacy and Terry Woods for coming to visit him love and prayers for everyone who is struggling right now hang in there!”

MacGowan is the frontman of The Pogues, known for their iconic Christmas hit Fairytale of New York.

Shane has been hospitalised a number of times since being diagnosed with the condition.

In a message to their fans earlier this week, Victoria said: "Love is the most beautiful and powerful thing that we can experience as humans but love can also feel painful especially if you are afraid of losing a person or anything else that you love.

"The really really big challenge that we all face is to go beyond what our minds think are the limits of love and what love really is.

A lot of the time that thing we call love can more accurately be described as attachment or desire or need or longing or closeness or connection.

"And all of these are totally valuable and human and we need to acknowledge and appreciate and accept every part of our experience.”

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Shane fell and broke his pelvis in a horror fall in 2016. He went on to fall again, breaking his knee before ending cup tearing ligaments in his left knee and he has previously said he never expects to walk again.

He has been married to wife Victoria since 2018 after they had been together for 36 years, including some stints where they broke up.

She has previously tweeted: “Feeling really really grateful that ⁦@ShaneMacGowan⁩ is looking so bright today! And we as determined as ever to get home! 

“Thank you a million times to all of the doctors and nurses and all of the staff and everyone who is visiting him!”

Victoria has previously spoken about the struggle she's experienced trying to remain positive in the face of Shane's health troubles. 

In June, Victoria posted on Instagram: “There has been a lot of turbulence in my life recently and it's been very emotional and also scary. 

“But this past few days I have noticed that even though there's a LOT of fear there is also a huge amount of love and support and incredible blessings. 

“I think that our minds can be VERY resistant to change and to having our lives shaken up and rearranged and we need to be very gentle and patient with ourselves…

“It's a challenge to stay present with your feelings. Thank you to everyone who has been supporting me and @shanemacgowanofficial.”