Rod Stewart has announced his final ever string of gigs, bringing an end to his touring career after six decades on stage. The 81-year-old Maggie May hitmaker, who underwent heart surgery earlier this year, confirmed The Final Encore will be his last tour.
Health Scare and Retirement Announcement
Sir Rod was forced to cancel his US tour earlier this year after undergoing a routine procedure to fit a coronary stent. Doctors advised him to rest for four weeks afterwards. He was also seen needing an oxygen tank on stage in Utah this year.
In a statement, 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.”
Iconic On-Stage Moments
One of his most memorable performances came at Glastonbury last year, when he invited Lulu on stage to duet Hot Legs on the Pyramid Stage. He joked to Lulu: “We’d make a great couple! Sorry, Penny,” addressing his wife Penny Lancaster. Lulu later posted on social media: “Thanx Rod for having me on the Pyramid Stage alongside you. I had a total blast!”
Rod also shared a longstanding friendship with Tina Turner, after attending one of her concerts at The Ritz in New York in 1981, where she performed three of his greatest hits. The pair took to the stage together that same year to perform Get Back and Hot Legs, later duetting on a cover of Marvin Gaye’s It Takes Two in 1990.
On-Stage Outburst
In December 2025, Rod halted his show in Athens to shout at a member of the audience, accusing them of ruining the night. During a rendition of Do Ya Think I’m Sexy at the OAKA Sports Hall in Greece, he strode to the front of the stage and barked into the microphone: “Out the f***ing way. You’re spoiling the show for everybody. Out the way. Leave. We don’t need you here!”
He also defended another fan clutching a sign, arguing with someone in the crowd: “All she’s doing is putting up a sign. It’s not hurting you is it, mate?”
