Jon Bon Jovi has spoken out about his bandmate Richie Sambora’s current stint in rahab, calling the guitarist a “work in progress”.

Sambora recently entered a Californian clinic treatment following reports of a shambolic performance at a recent TV performance, and Jon says Richie is coming along slowly.

He tells The Mail, “Richie's OK, but he's a work-in-progress, you know.

“We've been in the band together for so long and gone through a whole range of experiences, but to be honest, we'd had no real strife until recently.”

Jon says the recent death of Sambora’s father and split from Denise Richards have been a contributing factor behind his problems.

“Parents were passing away and divorces were happening and kids were coming of age and suddenly it wasn't me, me, me any more, but we, we, we,” he explains.