LEGENDARY songwriter Richard Carpenter has cancelled his show in Basingstoke due to health issues.

Best known as one half of the best-selling duo of the 1970s, The Carpenters, Richard was due to visit The Anvil on Friday, September 20.

A post on The Anvil’s website said: “Unfortunately, due to health issues, Richard Carpenter has had to cancel his UK tour scheduled for September.”

Richard was due to perform and tell the stories behind the hits. The duo, made up of Richard and his sister Karen, had a raft of smash hits including (They Long To Be) Close To You, Yesterday Once More, Superstar, Top Of The World, Rainy Days And Mondays, Only Yesterday and Please Mr Postman.

They became one of the most successful duos in music history and won an Oscar and three Grammys over the course of their 14-year career. Karen died of heart failure in 1983 aged 32 after battling anorexia.

Speaking last year, he said: "After too long an absence, I’m very much looking forward to performing for the UK audiences once again."