Elton John has been forced to pull out of his upcoming West Coast dates with Billy Joel as a result of an ongoing illness. The 62-year-old announced on his official Website that he has been forced to yank more shows on doctor's orders after being hospitalized with "a serious case of E. coli bacterial infection and influenza."

Six months into his "Face 2 Face" tour with Billy Joel, Elton's illness has brought the trek to a halt. Shows planned for the two piano-playing rock legends in Seattle and Portland, Ore. in the next two weeks -- which were bumped from the pair's summer itinerary when Joel was sidelined with an illness -- seem likely to again be rescheduled.

Shows last week in Liverpool, Newcastle, Wembley and Dublin were also cancelled as a result of Elton's health. The affected North American dates include a pair of shows on Nov. 4 and 7 at Seattle's Key Arena and a November 10 gig at Portland 's Rose Garden Arena. Promoters for those shows are instructing fans to hold onto the tickets while they determine if new dates can be planned after Elton's recovery.