EXCLUSIVE: Rod Stewart's Health Fears Spark Concern Over Final Tour
Rod Stewart's health fears have sparked concern over his final tour as questions about his well-being arise.
Oct. 15 2026, Published 7:00 a.m. ET
Rod Stewart has announced he's quitting the road – and doctors and insiders said it may be the only thing that can save his life, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Just weeks after suffering a potentially fatal heart episode that caused him to pause his tour, the rocker said he's going to take his final bows from the stage next year.
Rod Stewart's Health Scare Sparks Retirement Plans
Rod Stewart announced plans for a final tour next year following a recent heart-related medical emergency.
"At his age and with his health history, he needs to get away from the life of a rock star – if he wants to stay alive," said longevity expert Dr. Gabe Mirkin.
The 81-year-old Forever Young singer said he will drop the final curtain with one last tour that will kick off at Dublin's 3Arena next year.
The not-so-shocking announcement comes weeks after he abruptly canceled the remainder of his U.S. tour and Las Vegas residency for an emergency coronary procedure.
"That was a huge wake-up call for Rod," a source said. "His family and friends have been begging him to slow down for years – and the fact that he's now going to stop altogether says everything about how serious the situation is."
Stewart's Heart Surgery Raises Health Concerns
Dr. Gabe Mirkin warned Stewart's health history makes stepping away from touring important for his well-being.
Stewart had a lifesaving stent inserted in June, but Dr. Mirkin, who hasn't treated the star, said the procedure could present even more problems, and added: "There is evidence that while stents may prevent heart attacks, they also increase the chance of internal bleeding and strokes."
The heart surgery was just the latest in a long list of health crises that have plagued the rickety Maggie May singer.
He scrapped multiple tour dates in 2025 due to a bout with influenza that left him feeling more ill and frail than at any point in his entire life, according to his wife, Penny Lancaster.
Stewart's Past Health Battles Raise Concerns
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Penny Lancaster revealed her husband suffered a severe bout of influenza that forced him to cancel tour dates in 2025.
He also canceled several shows in 2024 due to COVID-19, and in 2000, he had a cancerous tumor removed from his thyroid gland.
The year before that, he confessed to a secret three-year battle with prostate cancer, which is believed to be in remission.
Making his situation even worse, according to doctors, is his lifetime love affair with alcohol, which has led to embarrassing episodes, including a 2019 incident when he and son Sean [Stewart], 46, were busted for getting rowdy with a bouncer at a swanky New Year's Eve bash.
"A lifetime of partying will always take its toll in the end," said New York internist Dr. Stuart Fischer.
"I would recommend he doesn't even sniff alcohol," added Dr. Mirkin.
