In accepting the honor, front man Simon Le Bon read an open letter from Taylor, who said he was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer just over four years ago.

“Many families have experienced the slow burn of this disease and of course, we are no different,” Taylor wrote. “So I speak from the perspective of a family man but with profound humility to the band, the greatest fans a group could have and this exceptional accolade.”

Taylor said the disease was “not immediately life-threatening” but “there is no cure”.

“Despite the exceptional efforts of my team, I had to be honest in that both physically and mentally, I would be pushing my boundaries,” Taylor said. “However, none of this needs to or should detract from what this band (with or without me) has achieved and sustained for 44 years.”

Speaking to journalists backstage at the ceremony, Le Bon called the news “absolutely devastating”.

“We love Andy dearly,” he said. “I’m not gonna stand here and cry, I think that would be inappropriate, but that’s what it feels like.”

The 1980s hit British band broke ties with Taylor in 2006, citing an “unworkable gulf” between him and the New Wave innovators.

Former member Warren Cuccurullo, who was initially expected to attend, also did not attend Saturday’s ceremony in Los Angeles.

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