Sir Rod Stewart, the legendary rock star with 32 albums and 120 million record sales, has encountered numerous health challenges throughout his career. The 81-year-old recently made headlines when he had to stop a concert mid-show in Utah to take oxygen, telling the audience, "I was trying to dance and nearly f*****g fainted." He completed the rest of the gig sitting in a chair.
Cancer Scares
In 2019, Stewart revealed he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer three years earlier. He received the all-clear and partnered with the Prostate Project charity to raise awareness. He told USA Today: "Two years ago I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I'm in the clear now, simply because I caught it early." He urged men to get checked, adding, "Finger up the bum, no harm done." In his autobiography, he admitted feeling "fearful and vulnerable."
Earlier, in 2000, Stewart was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and underwent surgery to remove a tumour. While he made a full recovery, the operation affected his voice. On Loose Women, he said: "It was really easy to get rid of, but I did lose my voice totally gone." He noted that he can no longer stay up all night and drink without protecting his voice before and after shows.
Broken Nose and Vocal Concerns
In his late teens, Stewart suffered a broken nose during a football match. He declined surgery to straighten it for fear of losing his voice. He explained: "Recently, a doctor said, 'If we straighten this out… you may lose your voice.' [So I said] 'Leave that alone, mate. I'll do with a bent nose.'"
Laryngitis and Gig Cancellations
Stewart was recently diagnosed with an acute upper respiratory infection that led to laryngitis, forcing him to cancel a show. The next day, he was spotted at Boston Stadium watching Scotland play Haiti in the World Cup 2026. He reflected: "I really shouldn't have gone to the Haiti game. I had to cancel a show the night before because I just had no voice left."
He also cancelled two Las Vegas shows due to a sinus infection. He admitted he should have sought medical advice sooner: "I've got this awful sinus infection… It got infected. My ears, and my eardrums. I couldn't hear a thing a couple of days ago."
On-Stage Oxygen Incident
During a performance in Utah, Stewart needed oxygen mid-show. His wife, Penny, explained: "He'd been suffering from an upper respiratory infection. Then he had a show in Salt Lake City and, similar to Denver, it's 5,000 feet above sea level. Your lung capacity… is down anyway and at that sort of altitude it's down another 17 per cent." She added that he would have prepared differently if he had known.
Outlook on Mortality
In 2024, Stewart told The Sun he has "no fear" of death but predicted he has another 15 years left. He said: "I'm aware my days are numbered but I've got no fear. I am going to be enjoying myself for these last few years as much as I can."
