Meat Loaf reportedly died after becoming 'seriously ill with COVID'

Meat Loaf
(Image credit: David Becker/Getty Images)

Rock star Meat Loaf reportedly died at 74 after contracting the coronavirus and becoming seriously ill.

The singer, known for hit albums like Bat Out of Hell and appearances in films like Fight Club and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, died Thursday night, his agent confirmed. On Friday, TMZ reported that earlier this week, Meat Loaf was scheduled to attend a business dinner for a show he was working on, but he had to cancel because he "became seriously ill with COVID." His condition "quickly became critical," the outlet said.

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Meat Loaf, whose real name was Marvin Lee Aday, had been developing a relationship competition show based on his song "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)," which was to involve couples competing in various games with a soundtrack of his hit songs, according to Deadline. The dinner he was set to attend this week was connected to his work on that show, TMZ said.

"We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man," a statement posted to Meat Loaf's Facebook page said. "We thank you for your understanding of our need for privacy at this time."

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.