Kylie cancels shows due to bad cold

LONDON, Jan 15 (Reuters) Australian pop diva Kylie Minogue, on the comeback trail since battling breast cancer, cancelled two further shows after pulling out of a concert with a bad cold, her management said.

Kylie, who cut short a live gig on Saturday in Manchester, northern England, will not perform today or tomorrow.

''After being forced to pull out early from last night's Showgirl Homecoming performance ... due to a moderately severe respiratory tract infection, doctors have today insisted that Kylie Minogue 'not perform in the immediate future','' the star's management said in a statement yesterday.

Shows on Thursday and Friday this week are expected to go on as planned and promoters are hoping to reschedule the cancelled events, added the statement, posted on the Web site of the Manchester Evening News Arena, the concerts' venue.

Ticket holders were advised to keep their tickets, which would be valid for future dates.

Minogue walked off stage half way through the second of six scheduled concerts at the arena, disappointing fans.

Her spokesman denied her illness was linked to her breast cancer treatment. Other members of her band had been suffering 'flu, the spokesman said.

Minogue, 38, launched the British leg of her Showgirl Homecoming Tour on New Year's Eve following her recovery from breast cancer treatment. She has already played seven dates at London's Wembley Arena.

Minogue, a former soap opera actress turned pop princess, was forced to postpone her original Showgirl world tour after her cancer diagnosis in May 2005.

She had surgery and chemotherapy treatment, returning to the stage in November last year.

REUTERS SY KP0900