Penny Lancaster shows support for Sir Rod Stewart as Glastonbury stint confirmed days after retirement stance
Penny Lancaster has returned to social media for the first time since her husband, Sir Rod Stewart, was unveiled as the first act for Glastonbury 2025, taking the coveted Sunday afternoon Legends slot on the Pyramid Stage.
The 79-year-old rock veteran shared his excitement on Instagram on Tuesday, writing: “I’m absolutely thrilled to announce that I’ll be playing @glastonbury 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!”
Stewart will be 80 years old when he performs at the renowned festival, making him one of the oldest artists to perform a major set at Glastonbury.
The singer previously headlined the festival in 2002 alongside Coldplay and Stereophonics, but this will mark his first appearance in the prestigious teatime slot.
Glastonbury festival organiser Emily Eavis announced Stewart’s booking on Instagram, stating: “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.”
And in order to show her support for her hubby, Lancaster took to Instagram soon after the announcement to repost Stewart’s post onto her own profile.
The prestigious Sunday teatime slot has featured some of music’s biggest names in recent years.
Following the festival’s return after the COVID-19 pandemic, Shania Twain, Yusuf/Cat Stevens and Diana Ross have graced the stage.
Previous legendary performers have included Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, and Paul Simon.
Stewart brings impressive credentials to the slot, with 25 UK top 10 singles and 38 UK top 10 albums as a solo artist, including hits like Maggie May, You Wear It Well and Sailing.
The announcement comes just a few days after Stewart announced he would be ending “large-scale world tours” but dismissed any notion of retirement.
The veteran rocker, who turns 80 in January, wrote on Instagram: “This will be the end of large-scale world tours for me, but I have no desire to retire.”
He emphasised his continued vitality, stating: “I’m fit, have a full head of hair, and can run 100 metres in 18 seconds at the jolly old age of 79.”
Stewart expressed interest in moving to more intimate performances, saying: “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.”
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The singer has already announced his next project, a new album titled Swing Fever, recorded with Jools Holland’s Rhythm And Blues Orchestra, set for release in February 2024.
Meanwhile, Lancaster herself has been pursuing new career opportunities – this time away from the spotlight.
Stewart’s wife revealed she’d signed up as an ambassador for the British Dyslexia Association after being diagnosed with the disorder herself.
In an Instagram announcement in October, Lancaster admitted she was “so happy” to be taking on the role.
