Actress Valerie Bertinelli has said her ex-husband Eddie Van Halen is not in rehab, but she declined to say exactly what is ailing the rock guitarist, People.com reported on Wednesday.
“The reports about him being in rehab are wrong. Eddie is sober,” Bertinelli said at a New York luncheon hosted by cable TV’s Hallmark Channel, according to the Web site of celebrity magazine People.
This month rock band Van Halen, which Eddie co-founded with his brother Alex, canceled its tour dates until April 19 and said the 53 year-old guitarist is undergoing medical tests. But the band has not divulged details of his illness.
In the 1990s, Eddie Van Halen had hip replacement surgery and was treated for oral cancer. He also has battled alcohol abuse with a stint in rehab, which led to current speculation about a return to treatment.
Bertinelli on Wednesday said “he’s being proactive about his illness” but declined to be more specific.
Van Halen had a string of hits including “Runnin’ with the Devil” and “Panama” starting in the late 1970s. In August the group unveiled plans for its current 25-city North American tour that began in September 2007.