STATUS QUO guitarist Rick Parfitt is "making an excellent and steady recovery" after suffering a suspected heart attack last month, it has been revealed. Simon Porter, the band's manager, added: "Rick has now had a defibrillator fitted into his chest in order to regulate any future heart issues and has left hospital in order to recuperate with family and friends. "Although I am now happy to report that his medical team anticipate that Rick will make a full recovery, it will likely be a long and ongoing process. "To this end, Rick has given his full blessing for the band to continue with the current summer touring schedule utilizing guest guitarists. Freddie Edwards, son of QUO bass player John 'Rhino' Edwards has successfully stepped in for Rick over recent gigs and will now continue for the majority of QUO's shows during July and August, the current exceptions being gigs in Leuven, Belgium and Edinburgh, Scotland on July 20th and 23rd where Irish guitarist Richie Malone will step in." Rick's family has said: "We would like to thank everyone including the fans for their messages of support during the last weeks and especially the kindness and care of all the staff at the Royal Brompton." Both the band and Rick would like to thank the fans for their continued understanding and support and would like to stress that he will return to the fold as soon as possible, but in Rick's best interests, any return will not be rushed until he makes a full and absolute recovery. Parfitt has experienced a number of health setbacks over the years, including a quadruple heart bypass in 1997, a throat cancer scare in 2005 and a heart attack in 2011. STATUS QUO was forced to cancel a number of shows in 2014 after Parfitt was told by doctors to rest following surgery to correct a problem with his previous heart bypass. Parfitt and STATUS QUO frontman Francis Rossi recently announced they were hanging up their electric guitars for good following one final tour.
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