On March 5, 1988, Gibb celebrated his 30th birthday in London while working on a new album. Two days later, he was admitted to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford due to chest pains. By March 10, 1988, despite the need for further tests, Gibb unexpectedly succumbed to myocarditis, attributed to years of cocaine abuse weakening his heart. His ex-wife, Kim Reeder, expressed no surprise at the news, foreseeing such an outcome due to his history of substance abuse.