Entertainment

Rod Stewart apologises for skipping 200th celebration show due to strep throat

He was due to bring his The Hits show at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace to a close on Wednesday.

Sir Rod Stewart has been suffering with strep throat
Sir Rod Stewart has been suffering with strep throat (Joe Giddens/PA)

Sir Rod Stewart cancelled his 200th residency celebration show due to a bout of the bacterial infection strep throat.

The London-born singer, 79, was set to bring his The Hits show at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace to a close on Wednesday after performing at the venue across the last 13 years.

Sir Rod withdrew hours before what was meant to be his last show at the venue, saying he was “desperately sorry”.

He added: “Most people can work with strep throat but obviously not me.

“I’m absolutely gutted. I’ve been looking forward to this concert for so long.

“My deepest regrets for any inconvenience this has caused. Thankfully we’ll now be returning in 2025 and I hope to see you all there.”

According to the NHS, a strep infection can mean patients having a sore throat, a rash, nausea and vomiting and muscle aches. It is often not a serious illness and can be treated with antibiotics.

The singer premiered his show, titled Rod Stewart: The Hits, at the classic venue in 2011.

Hours before his performance, he announced he would be returning to Sin City for a series of encore shows which will take place next spring.

Alongside a video of him performing at the venue shared to Instagram, the veteran rock star wrote: “Vegas, I’m having too much fun for this to end so we are coming back for an encore!

“Don’t miss The Encore Shows Las Vegas Residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace March 12-22 & May 29-June 8!”

The high-energy show sees him perform hits from across his five-decade career including You Wear It Well, Da Ya Think I’m Sexy, Tonight’s The Night and Hot Legs.

He is next set to play dates at Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena in Stateline, Nevada, on Friday and The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California, on Saturday and the Mountain Winery Amphitheater in Saratoga, California, on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Sir Rod is a member of the US Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and was knighted by the Queen in 2016.