Lionel Richie was spotted this weekend in public for the first time since his hospitalization for heart concerns in late August 2026.
Richie is the father of reality star Nicole Richie, who dominated pop culture along with her bestie Paris Hilton during their early 2000s run on “The Simple Life.” He is also the father of Sofia Richie, who appeared on “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” while dating Scott Disick, and a son, Miles.
TMZ published pics of the “American Idol” judge giving the camera two thumbs up and wearing a huge smile after a health scare landed him in the ICU last month. The report notes the 77-year-old was seen greeting fans while attending a party in Beverly Hills on the night of Saturday, September 19.
The outlet says his girlfriend Lisa Parigi was by his side, and he looked none the worse for wear after struggling to stand while playing the piano at his August 29 concert in St. Louis and subsequently checking himself into the hospital for monitoring. He’s been linked to Parigi, a beauty entrepreneur, since 2014.
He is scheduled to resume performing on September 26, where he will sing in San Francisco, California as a part of his ongoing joint tour with “Earth, Wind & Fire.”
After the conclusion of the tour, he will hit Vegas for a limited 6-show residency called “King of Hearts.”
Lionel Richie Was Seen Struggling to Stand Before Hospitalization Last Month
On August 29, while performing at The Muny outdoor amphitheater in St. Louis, Missouri, the “Endless Love” singer appeared to have trouble standing before quickly taking a seat on the stairs of the stage.
He soldiered through the show and asked his team to bring him a chair while performing his last song, “All Night Long.”
The ’70s soul icon then checked into a nearby hospital, where he was admitted to the ICU and underwent cardiac testing.
Lionel Richie Was Back Home by September 2
On September 2, four days after he entered the hospital, People exclusively reported the “American Idol” judge, who joined the show in 2018, was back home.
The outlet said they’d confirmed he was “doing great” after touching down in Los Angeles, and reminded fans the St. Louis show was not his first time to struggle onstage recently.
In June, Richie postponed two shows, citing a need to “rest and return to full health” after previously telling the crowd he felt dizzy and making the unusual choice to sit down while performing his energetic pop-funk hit “Dancing on the Ceiling.”
As of publishing, the musician has not made any personal statements about his health since his hospital trip in August. However, on July 4, he assured his fans he was “doing well” in an Instagram post in which he also thanked them for “all your love.”
He finished that message, “Pittsburgh and Detroit were an absolute joy. The energy, the dancing, the faces in the crowd… we made real memories together.
See you in Toronto… let’s party all night long! 🎉”
