The Red Hot Chili Peppers have postponed their Dublin shows scheduled for tonight and Wednesday this week at the 3Arena as frontman Anthony Kiedis is ill.

The concerts have been rescheduled for September 20 and 21 2017, with tickets remaining valid for the new dates. Tickets for Tuesday December 20 will be valid for Wednesday September 20, with tickets for Wednesday December 21 valid for Thursday September 21.

A statement from the band on Monday said they were "so sorry" to inconvenience fans who were looking forward to seeing them in Dublin - the quartet's first shows in the city in four years.

Anthony Kiedis

"Anthony has been fighting off the flu all week and after the show [at London's 02 Arena] last night it was clear that he has to stop touring and recover, hence the decision to push back the shows to next year," the statement explained.

Singer Kiedis was hospitalised in the US earlier this year, forcing the cancellation of a gig in California. The band were set to play a KROQ Weenie Roast show in Irvine, California to 16,000 fans but had to pull out at the last minute.

Red Hot Chili Peppers made their Irish debut at Dublin's SFX in March 1992. Their tour of the capital has also included Phoenix Park, Croke Park, Lansdowne Road and Dalymount Park shows. In 2006 they headlined at the Oxegen festival at Punchestown Racecourse in Co Kildare and they have also performed at Slane twice, supporting U2 in 2001 and headlining in 2003.