Lorraine Kelly has shared her response to Sir Rod Stewart's announcement that his upcoming live tour will be his last after six decades. The 81-year-old rocker was forced to cut short his One Last Time farewell tour across America and Mexico earlier this year following heart surgery. That leg had been set to extend into September and featured a Las Vegas residency.
Next year, his The Final Encore tour will head to mainland Europe as well as scheduled concerts at Belfast's SSE Arena, Dublin's 3Arena, London's The O2, and Glasgow's OVO Hydro. He will bookend the tour with a handful of stops in the U.S.
Sir Rod's Emotional Announcement
Sharing the news with fans, Sir Rod 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."
He added: "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."
Lorraine's Three-Word Response
Addressing Sir Rod's announcement on her ITV talk show on Tuesday (September 29) with co-star Dr Amir Khan, Lorraine said: "We know he's recovering from heart surgery but he is a trooper and loves what he does so this would have been a really hard decision to make."
Dr Amir said: "Earlier this year he did have routine heart surgery. A stent was put in but his wife Penny [Lancaster] said everything was fine, it's all gone well and he loves touring. She describes him as a boxer with all that energy so this would have been a hard decision."
"I always say to people who are retiring don't stop, slow down, keep moving, keep being active and keep engaging with the community. It'll be really good for your health."
Health Issues and Tour Postponements
The tour announcement follows earlier show postponements this year by the Maggie May singer due to health issues, including a respiratory infection that caused laryngitis, alongside a sinus infection. Sir Rod then canceled his Las Vegas residency last month following a "routine coronary stent procedure" that required additional recuperation time.
Lorraine airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm.
