Bruce Springsteen & Chris Martin to stand in for Bono at New York benefit

Bruce Springsteen and Coldplay's Chris Martin will stand in for an injured Bono at a World AIDS Day concert in New York City on Monday night (01Dec14).

The ailing singer was scheduled to hit the Times Square stage for the gig, but he's still recovering from a bicycle fall in the city's Central Park last month (Nov14) and had to pull out of the event.

Martin and Springsteen agreed to step in at the last minute to make sure U2 didn't scrap the show.

Bono's bandmates announced the 'U2 Minus 1' showcase on their website just hours ahead of the show, revealing the stand-ins had "graciously donated their time and talents to save the World AIDS Day event from cancellation".

Bono underwent surgery to correct damage to his arm and he has been told by doctors to rest until he is fully recovered.

Speaking from Dublin, Ireland on Monday, the injured rock star said, "This year is a World Aids Day like no other. The world reached a tipping point in the fight against Aids - more people were newly added to life-saving treatment than were newly infected with the virus. A lot of people are calling it the beginning of the end of Aids.

"We wouldn't be at this point without American leadership, people from the left and the right. Today, 13 million people have access to life-saving treatment, up from 300,000 just over 10 years ago. Americans don't know the role they've played in this fight."

Monday night's Times Square show will also feature Kanye West and Carrie Underwood.