Rod Stewart cancels second show weeks before Glastonbury after ‘doctor’s orders’

Rod Stewart has been forced to cancel a second Las Vegas show due to ill health.

The cancellation comes days after the British pop rocker, 80, withdrew from playing Monday night’s show (2 June) at Caesars Palace’s Colosseum Theatre at the last minute.

Stewart’s announcement, which arrives weeks before his scheduled Glastonbury set, means he will no longer play Thursday’s show (5 June).

He apologised to his fans on Instagram, writing: “I’m awfully sorry to have to cancel my show at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

“My doctor ordered a bit more rest while I recover from the flu. Thanks for your love and understanding.”

Stewart is scheduled to play another three Vegas shows: on 7 and 8 June, with the first cancelled show rescheduled to 10 June. There is currently no word on an alternative date for the cancelled 5 June show.

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Later this month, Stewart is also set to play Glastonbury in the coveted Legends slot, which takes place on the festival’s Sunday afternoon.

The “Maggie May” and “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” singer previously described his appointment as an “honour”, but admitted it will “cost me a fortune as he’s being forced to pay upwards of £221,000 to “bring all my band back from America”.

He told talkSPORT: “Of course Glastonbury don’t pay for that. But I don’t care – if it cost me $1m, I would have done it. It really is the greatest honour.”

Stewart will make history as the first artist to take the stage in a Legends slot after previously headlining the festival. He first played the Pyramid stage in 2002.

The singer previously emphasised that, while he had no immediate plans to retire, he would be scaling back his world tours after completing his current one.

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“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,” he said in a statement.

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