Music icon Tony Christie has revealed he is 'living on painkillers' due to debilitating chronic pain, a direct result of a serious on-stage fall years ago.
The Accident That Changed Everything
The 82-year-old singer, eternally famous for his hit (Is This the Way to) Amarillo, saw his health decline after tripping over a monitor as he ran onto the stage during a concert in Essen, Germany. The fall 'semi-crushed' three discs in his spine.
Doctors presented him with a grim choice: an operation that could potentially leave him paralysed. 'The doctors said that if they tried to operate I might never be able to walk again, you may finish up in a wheelchair,' Tony explained. Consequently, he refused the high-risk procedure and now relies on daily pain relief to manage his condition and continue performing.
Pushing Through Pain for a Final Bow
Despite his health struggles, which also include a diagnosis of dementia in 2023 and a knee that needs replacing, Tony Christie is determined to see through his planned farewell tour. He has refused a new knee because the recovery time would force him to cancel shows.
'I'm supposed to be retiring,' he quipped, noting that since announcing his intention to step back from touring, his manager's phone has not stopped ringing. 'So I'm now booked for the next two-and-a-half years.' The tour is set to continue with live dates across the UK in December and January, extending into next summer.
One Last Gift to Fans: 'A New Life'
As a final surprise for his loyal supporters, Tony has recorded one last album. He travelled to Nashville, where he recorded new songs and, with time to spare, re-recorded his classic hits with a band of legendary session musicians, including Dolly Parton's musical director.
The resulting album, to be titled 'A New Life', will feature his greatest hits reimagined in the distinctive Nashville style. While he fondly remembers the massive success of his 2005 Comic Relief re-recording of Amarillo with comedian Peter Kay, Tony admits they are no longer in touch, lamenting that the era of variety shows featuring both singers and comedians has passed.
Supported by his wife and son, who is now his manager, Tony Christie is facing his health challenges with remarkable fortitude, determined to keep sharing his legendary voice with the world for as long as he can.
