BACK WITH A BANG

Just months ago Madonna was at death's door and didn't think she was going to make it, but her children kept her going - and now she's kicked off her world tour

- KESHIA AFRICA

THE skintight catsuits, dazzling accessories and raunchy dance moves were 100% Madge. And as she strutted her stuff, belted out her beats and increased the energy, it was hard to believe she was at death’s door just a few months ago.

In fact, Madonna (65) twirled and twerked on stage like someone half her age when she recently kicked off her long-awaited Celebration Tour at London’s O2 Arena.

Just months ago she was in an intensive care unit fighting a serious bacterial infection, but there was no sign of it on stage.

She told the 20,000-strong crowd of her early days being “hungry, broke and scared” in New York, with a lack of support from her father, who wanted her to come back home.

CELEBRATION TOUR BY NUMBERS

• 47 The number of hit songs she performed during the show.
• 80 tons The weight of production equipment used during the show.
• 17 The number of archive costumes recreated.

• 15 The number of countries the tour will travel to.

  20 000 The number of fans who attended the opening night at London’s O2 Arena.

“But I was not about to go back,” she declared. “Because I am not a quitter!”

You can say that again.