Sir Rod Stewart announced today that he will be playing the afternoon slot on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury next year – with fans jumping to his defence after his involvement was slammed.
Announcing the big news on his Instagram, Stewart penned: “I’m absolutely thrilled to announce that I’ll be playing @glastofest 2025!
“After all these years, I’m proud and ready and more than able to take the stage again to pleasure and titillate my friends at Glastonbury in June. I’ll see you there!”
Glastonbury festival organiser Emily Eavis also announced his booking on Instagram, adding: “Bringing Sir Rod Stewart back for the Sunday afternoon slot on the Pyramid stage is everything we could wish for.
“What a way to bow out with the final legends slot before we take a fallow year.”
The Do Ya Think I’m Sexy singer will be 80 years old when he performs at the festival – making history as one of the oldest singers to perform.
This is not the first time the singer will headline the festival, as he appeared in 2002 alongside Coldplay and Stereophonics.
Stewart’s wife Penny Lancaster publicly supported her husband’s major project and shared the news on her Instagram story.
Whilst some fans were thrilled that Stewart would be using the festival as his last major performance, some felt it was the “final nail in the coffin” for the festival which has already received backlash.
One wrote on X: “Rod Stewart needs to retire. The legends slot will be painful to watch/listen to #Glastonbury.”
Another declared it was “the final nail in Glastonbury’s coffin” before a third said: “Rod Stewart headlining Glastonbury. Will anyone under 50 even know any of his songs?”
Someone else noted: “Rod Stewart headlining Glastonbury legends stage. Another reason not to go. 380 quid a ticket is the other reason.
“Imagine spending nearly £400 on a ticket only to discover that Rod Stewart is the main act. You’re going to want to hope there’s a decent act on elsewhere,” a fifth expressed.
However, others were delighted, as one excitedly wrote: “Sunday afternoon, sun shining and a couple of beers listening to the songs your dad played in the car… what’s not to like.”
Another praised: “He was a great headliner in 2002 can’t wait to see him again’ agreed another.” (sic)
His signing comes just days after he announced he would be ending his large-scale tour, writing on Instagram: “This will be the end of large-scale world tours for me.
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“I have no desire to retire. I’m fit, have a full head of hair, and can run 100 meters in 18 seconds at the jolly old age of 79.
“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 iconic rocker signed off: “The Ambiguous Sir Rod Stewart”.