Queen + Adam Lambert have once again postponed the UK and European legs of their Rhapsody World Tour due to coronavirus restrictions.

The veteran rock group – guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor and American Idol star Lambert – previously pushed back their 2020 tour into 2021.

Now they will embark on those shows between May and July in 2022, starting with two dates at the Manchester AO Arena on May 30 and 31.

An additional two shows at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow have also been added on June 2 and 3.

The band’s previously scheduled 13 mainland Europe shows will now follow the UK dates throughout late June and July.

A statement from the band said: “Under continuing Europe-wide Covid restrictions there’s no possible way the tour can go ahead as planned for this year.

“The prospect of again not being able to look forward to performing and getting to experience those wonderful audiences is just heartbreaking.”

May said: “Those incredible scenes at those concerts now seem like an impossibly distant dream.

Queen and Adam Lambert: Live Around The World
Adam Lambert (Ian West/PA)

“One minute we are out in Australia strutting our stuff and interacting with thousands of happy people, next minute we are stuck in the house.

“We were so lucky to be able to complete that tour, running just ahead of the wave that was about to break on us.”

In October last year, Queen scored their first number one album in 25 years with Live Around The World, a compilation featuring highlights from their decade of touring with Lambert.

It marked a quarter of a decade since 1995’s Made In Heaven, their final offering featuring recorded vocals from Freddie Mercury, and 45 years since their first number one, A Night At The Opera, in 1975.

Tickets for the Glasgow shows are on sale at now at ticketmaster.co.uk/venueartist/444745/1971833.