Rod Stewart leaves Glastonbury stage mid gig to fix urgent issue

(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Sir Rod Stewart certainly took his adoring Glastonbury crowd on a nostalgic journey on Sunday, but he had to let his backing singers take over midway through his set.

The 80 year old rocker was almost an hour into his performance when he announced he was taking a break.

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Immediately after entertaining with his rendition of Do Ya Think I’m S3xy, Rod informed the crowd: “The girls are going to do a song for you while I change my shirt. “.

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This came after he had already removed his jacket as he grappled with the sweltering heat at Worthy Farm.

The singers dutifully entertained those present with a rousing performance of Lady Marmalade.

When he did return, he was no longer in his breezy white shirt and jeans combination. Instead, he flaunted a loud pink suit.

He welcomed Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis to the stage to wish him a happy birthday, reports the Mirror.

He also got the crowd to sing along with him to the iconic tune I Don’t Wanna Talk About It before introducing Mick Hucknall to the stage.

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The duo sang an impressive rendition of Simply Red’s If You Don’t Know Me By Now as the crowd relished the occasion.

And he also welcomed Ronnie Wood and Lulu to the stage after yet another costume change. This time, he opted for an emerald green outfit.

The set transformed into a fantastic display on the Pyramid Stage for the Legends slot.

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However, fans had been sceptical at the start with many puzzled as to why Sir Rod wasn’t performing his own hits.

At the beginning of the set, some Twitter users voiced their complaints, with one stating: “This Rod Stewart performance. It’s just so s*. Strong Benidorm/Phoenix Club vibes. #Glastonbury.”

Another vented: “”Why is Rod Stewart “singing” (use the term loosely) covers and not his own hits?#Glastonbury ”

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However, the tide turned as one user enthused: “#glastonbury. Like him or not. Rod Stewart has still got it! He’s a showman, great entertainer, and can work a crowd. You go Rod!! Big shout out to his Band. #bbc #RodStewart #uk”

Earlier in the day, Rod’s wife Penny Lancaster was seen mingling with groups of the singer’s fans. She posed for photos, smiling next to people donning wigs in his honour.

His performance comes 23 years after he last graced the Pyramid Stage.

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This follows hints that he might be considering retiring from his massive world tours.

In an Instagram post, Rod stated: “This will be the end of large-scale world tours for me, but I have no desire to retire. I love what I do and I do what I love.

“I’m fit, have a full head of hair and can run 100 metres in 18 seconds at the jolly old age of 79.”

He added: “I’d like to move onto a Great American Songbook, Swing Fever tour the year after next – smaller venues and more intimacy.

“But then again, I may not. The ambiguous Sir Rod Stewart.”

However, it appears that all’s well that ends well, as Sir Rod persevered and delivered a performance to remember at Glasto 2025.