Shane MacGowan's wife Victoria Mary Clarke shares update on The Pogues singer from hospital

Shane MacGowan's wife Victoria Mary Clarke has shared a message to fans, thanking them for their support as The Pogues singer receives hospital care.

65-year-old MacGowan, born in Kent, England to Irish parents, has repeatedly been admitted to hospital since being diagnosed with viral encephalitis in December 2022.

Yesterday (November 14), Victoria shared a photo of her husband in hospital, assisted by breathing apparatus, thanking Shane's The Pogues bandmate Peter Richard "Spider" Stacy and musician Terry Woods for visiting the star.

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! pic.twitter.com/9OrUdgPxEd

— @victoriamary (@Victoriamary) November 14, 2023

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Last weekend, Victoria posted a heartfelt message alongside a photo of the couple to Instagram. She 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.

"But sometimes when you love very deeply you will find yourself facing terrifying fears of loss that can feel so big and devastating that you don’t know how you can survive them and you can’t imagine life without this person that you love. It’s in these moments when you are staring into the abyss that you have an opportunity to expand your consciousness beyond the limitations of your mind. You have an opportunity to discover more of who you really are and more of who your soul really is and more of your connection with this person who you love.

"You might alternate between terror and a sense of peace or a feeling of appreciation for what you have in the moment together or grace or gratitude for the love and support that is offered to help you by other people. Fear is an unknown place and this is what makes it so frightening, we make up stories about what is beyond the fear and they are not happy stories.

"But we can choose to stay present with everything that unfolds and to feel as much as possible in every moment and we can be surprised that there are more moments of beauty and grace and even joy than we ever imagined. Stay tuned in to love no matter what is happening in your world and keep inviting all of your angels and guides to support you and know that love is always the best choice!"

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As a member of The Pogues, Shane has achieved six UK Top 40 singles, including iconic Kirsty MacColl collaboration Fairytale of New York.

The track, first released in November 1987, peaked at Number 2 on the Official Singles Chart and has become a staple synonymous with the Christmas season. Often returning to the Top 40 thanks to its status as a festive classic, the track last re-entered the Top 10 in January 2023.

Our thoughts are with Shane's friends, family and fans at this time.

Image: Caitlin Mogridge/Redferns via Getty Images.