Friday, April 29, 2011 8:39am ET by  
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Bon Jovi's guitarist enters rehab

Richie Sambora, Bon Jovi's guitarist, will not join the band on their forthcoming North American and European tour because he has entered rehab to deal with a drinking problem.

The 51-year-old star, who admitted he could do with a break back in January, was scheduled to begin an extensive run in the U.S tomorrow, April 30, but he will now be absent and an official statement from the band reads:

"Our support for Richie is absolute. He is, and will remain, a member of Bon Jovi," 

"Although he will be absent from upcoming shows for the time being, we very much look forward to his healthy return. In the meantime, we will keep our commitment to our fans and continue our tour."

No information has been confirmed about who will replace Sambora, but you can watch him perform 'I'll Be There For You' from a past gig here: