Dolly Parton has weighed in on Madonna's gruelling schedule, after the singer was 'rushed to the ICU' following a bacterial infection.

The country music legend, 77, told MailOnline and other media that she's always found touring 'taxing', and no longer embarks on lengthy performing stints as she doesn't 'want to be far away from home.'

Madonna, 64, has been forced to postpone her mammoth Celebration Tour later this year after she was 'rushed to hospital and intubated after being found unresponsive' on Saturday. She's now recovering at home.

The Like A Prayer hitmaker started rehearsals for her mammoth tour back in April and has been busy on a demanding six-day working week gearing up for the shows, those close to the star have revealed.

 

Madonna is also well-known for her 'punishing' fitness regime, which sees her exercise six times a week with a personal trainer to maintain her 'dancer's physique'. 

Speaking out: Dolly Parton has weighed in on Madonna's gruelling schedule, after the singer was 'rushed to the ICU' following a bacterial infection

Speaking at a press event to promote her new album Rockstar and her upcoming memoir Behind The Seams: My Life in Rhinestones, Dolly admitted that the older an artist gets, the 'more taxing' it is to prepare for tours and release albums.

The music icon's last tour was her 2016 Pure and Simple Tour that spanned more than 60 cities in the US and Canada.

Dolly added: 'It's always been taxing , the reason I don't tour now is because i don't want to be that far away from home, we're getting older and I've got a lot of business that I do and the movies that I do.

'So we're close to home and I just really do prepare, just like coming over for this, we had a band and before I had to cancel once - my husband was sick at the time but he's fine now but you do plan and I do not plan to tour at this time.'

Dolly also credited 'good doctors, good lighting and good makeup' with keeping her looking at her best as she approaches 80.

Madonna's gruelling fitness routine has gained attention in the wake of her hospital dash, but Dolly admitted she's far less keen on exercise.

She said: 'I hate exercise like I hated school, I do all my hard work now, but I try and diet the best I can and I do the low carb but if I see something I really want im gonna eat it.'

'Because I'm so little but I still have a farmer's appetite. I do what I have to do, I do my daily squats.'

Scary: Madonna has been forced to postpone her mammoth Celebration Tour later this year after she was 'rushed to hospital and intubated after being found unresponsive' on Saturday 

Fitness: She is well-known for her 'punishing' fitness regime, which sees her exercise six times a week with a personal trainer to maintain her 'dancer's physique' 

Insight: Dolly told MailOnline and other media that she's always found touring 'taxing', and no longer embarks on lengthy performing stints as she doesn't 'want to be far away from home'

Dolly has joined forces with some of Rock music's most legendary artists along with today's biggest stars for her first-ever Rock album.

Artists including Sting, Kid Rock, Chris Stapleton and Miley Cyrus are set to feature on the record, her 49th in her career, which will be released in November.

The star has also penned a new memoir, to be released in October, detailing the full story behind her lifelong passion for fashion, including how she developed her own distinct style.

Madonna started rehearsals for her mammoth tour back in April and has been busy on a demanding six-day working week gearing up for the shows, those close to the star have revealed. 

According to The Sun, a family member said of her demanding schedule: 'She has not been living as healthy a life as she should be for her age, and she has been wearing herself thin over the past couple of months.'

For her scheduled 12th concert tour later this year, which has now been postponed, Madonna was set to jet all across the globe in a jam-packed 84-date epic.

Jose Extravaganza, a dancer who used to work with Madonna, gave an insight into her huge plans for her 2023-4 tour, telling how the star had been exercising 'a lot' and rehearsing six days a week in preparation.

He told Dailymail.com: 'I think she's exercising a lot. I mean, the rehearsals. Rehearsals are six days a week from what I hear, you know, like the only day off is Sunday. 

'I think she's leaving in about two more weeks. So I know that it's like, you know, high high energy right about now, you know, with with the rehearsals and the costumes and making sure that everything works. 

'You know, as far as the stage, I'm sure it's going to be a beautiful set, you know, and I'm looking forward to it. Definitely. I think it's gonna be good.'