Sir Rod Stewart announces UK and Ireland tour which will ‘definitely be my last’

Sir Rod Stewart has announced The Final Encore tour, which he says will “definitely be my last”.

The 81-year-old was forced to cut short his One Last Time farewell tour in the US and Mexico this year, which was due to stretch into September and included a Las Vegas residency, due to a heart operation.

Sir Rod’s The Final Encore tour will now include dates in Dublin’s 3Arena, Belfast’s SSE Arena, Glasgow’s OVO Hydro, and London’s The O2 next year, as well as a number of gigs in mainland Europe.

He said: “My dear friends, the time has come to say farewell to life on the road. After more than six decades, The Final Encore will most definitely be my last.

“I’ve been singing the music I love since I was 19 years old, and I’ve had the privilege of taking it around the world to all of you. It has given me a life beyond anything I could ever have imagined, and I hope I’ve given you some fond memories in return.

“So, may I take this opportunity to thank you for making this extraordinary life possible. I hope you’ll join me so I can thank you the best way I know how, with the music and one hell of a show. See you there.”

Sir Rod will be supported by 1980s synth pop singer Howard Jones for the UK and Ireland dates on the tour.

The news comes after the Maggie May singer also postponed a number of earlier shows this year due to medical concerns, a sinus infection and a respiratory infection that resulted in laryngitis.

Sir Rod’s wife, Lady Penny Lancaster, told the Press Association he would “come back stronger than ever” following his operation.

She said: “He’s back at full speed in his day-to-day activities, but doctor’s orders were to kind of postpone or cancel the current tour, because you know the risk factors involved.

“I did have to explain to the doctor what Rod’s performances are like, he doesn’t just sit down on a stool or behind a piano, he runs around for nearly two hours with four different costume changes because he’s sweating through everything.

“So, I compared him to either a boxer coming out of his dressing room on the way to the ring, or a horse coming out of the blocks. I mean, he runs on and he’s like, you know, straight into it, 100 miles an hour and doesn’t stop.”

Lady Penny Lancaster has spoken about Sir Rod Stewart’s preparation for his final tour (Ian West/PA)

PA Archive

She said: “It’s like running a sprint for him, so just for precaution, that tour unfortunately had to be cancelled, which he was devastated about.

“I mean he does not sit down, I can never find him, he’s, you know, he’s got his hobbies, I mean he’s just been in the gym working out, but we were under strict instructions about the level of workout he could do, and it’s a gradual, build him up, build him up, kind of thing.

“But he’s going to come back stronger than ever. I found it hard enough as it was to slow him down, so now he feels like he’s got a new lease of life.”

Sir Rod started his career as a busker on the streets of London with guitarist Wizz Jones in the early 1960s, before rising to fame as a member of The Jeff Beck Group and the Faces.

As a solo artist, he has achieved 25 UK top 10 singles, including six number ones; his best-known songs include You Wear It Well, Sailing and Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?.

He has also scored 11 UK number one albums.

Tickets for the tour will go on general sale on October 2 from the singer’s website, with a number of presales taking place beforehand.