Sir Rod Stewart, 81, was recently seen enjoying a burger and chips while watching his local football team, Bishop's Stortford, with his son Alastair, 20. The outing on Monday marked a public appearance following a routine coronary stent procedure.
Stewart, who underwent the procedure earlier this month, had been advised by doctors to take four weeks to recuperate. The surgery involved opening blocked heart arteries using a catheter. His team confirmed on Instagram that doctors were pleased with his recovery and that Stewart was doing well and had returned to his normal daily activities. This led to the cancellation of the remaining dates of his "One Last Time" tour, including shows in the U.S. and Mexico.
Stewart expressed his gratitude to the medical staff and his disappointment at missing the tour dates, stating, "I'm already feeling better and very much on the mend." He added, "I look forward to getting back on stage and having a good time with you all again soon."
This public appearance follows a period where Stewart had to cancel several other performances due to health setbacks. In August, he pulled out of a gig in Cincinnati due to an "an unforeseen but minor medical procedure." Previously, in June, he canceled a concert in California citing a respiratory infection that led to laryngitis, and later paused a concert in Utah, using an oxygen tank on stage, possibly due to the high altitude. He also postponed shows in Colorado for vocal rest.
Earlier this year, Stewart faced backlash for attending Scotland's World Cup match in Boston less than 24 hours after canceling a show due to ill health. He explained that he attended the game for his sons, having promised them he would take them to a World Cup match since they were born. "It wasn't a good look, I admit, but I'm going to have to just take the stick," he said at the time. "So I did it for the boys."