Sir Rod Stewart was forced to pause a concert to use an oxygen tank after nearly fainting onstage.
The Maggie May singer, who cancelled a number of concerts in May and earlier this month due to health concerns, appeared unwell and was doubled over while performing at the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre in West Valley City, Utah, on Friday night.
Video footage shared by TMZ showed the 81-year-old star leaning on a piano and grabbing other parts of the set for support during Young Turks before staff came out with an oxygen tank.
He admirably carried on singing throughout that song before a three-person team came on after he gestured to the side of the stage to administer oxygen, talking him through it and holding him steady as he became unsure on his feet
Sir Rod later told the crowd he had ‘nearly f**king fainted’ but that ‘the show must go on’.
After making a few jokes, he asking if the crowd would ‘mind’ if he performed his next hit while sitting on steps on the stage, before finishing the show sitting in a chair.
The Hot Legs hitmaker previously cancelled his May 29 and 30 The Encore Shows residency gigs at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas at the last minute after a vocal rest order from doctors.
The It’s a Heartache performer said: ‘My apologies to my family of fans. I am on vocal rest as I recover from a sinus infection. I look forward to seeing you at a future show at Caesars Palace or on tour this summer.’
And on 12 June, he cancelled his show in California just hours before it was due to start after contracting laryngitis.
A statement on his Instagram Story at the time read: ‘Rod Stewart very regretfully has had to cancel his show tonight in Chula Vista, California.
‘He travelled to the venue and made every effort to perform, but on the advice of his doctor, and following a diagnosis of an acute upper respiratory infection, that has resulted in laryngitis, he is unable to take the stage this evening.’
In another slide, Rod posted a shot of himself on the empty venue’s stage as he apologised to his disappointed fans for the show’s cancellation.
He wrote in a third story: ‘Following treatment, I’m feeling much better, but my voice is not.
‘I’m very disappointed and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience to my fans. I did everything I could to make the show happen tonight, but, unfortunately, it just wasn’t possible.
‘I will do my utmost to reschedule. Rod.’
However, the Sailing singer then faced backlash when he posted a video of himself and sons Liam, 31, and Alistair, 20, flying to Boston in a private jet to watch his beloved Scotland take on Haiti in the World Cup the very next evening.
He said in the clip: ‘Here we are flying off to Boston to see Scotland in the World Cup.
‘It’s been 28 years so these kids, I’ve told them about it, but they’ve never been. I’ve been to seven World Cups.’
He also joined them in a chant of ‘No Scotland, no party!’, which left fans questioning why he had not performed the night prior.
The comments section subsequently filled with people quick to slam the star for making the trip despite his illness and subsequent show cancellation.
‘This feels rather disingenuous, especially after your cancellation last night. Too ill to perform but okay to fly across the country for soccer?’ @rhinorunsandwines questioned.
Fan Paula Patti also said that she had ‘lost a little respect for you canceling your concert the night, before disappointing a stadium full of people’.
‘Hard to believe you really had laryngitis! You sound like you have a voice to me! I used to really like you, but when I say I lost a little respect, I mean a LOT of respect!’ she added.
Emily Hamilton wrote: ‘I love Rod Stewart I always have I always will. This is the only thing I’ve ever disagreed with that he’s done.
‘I am so sorry to all of you in San Diego that were heartbroken and then have to see this video. In my opinion he should not have posted this.’
Meanwhile Kyle Franson argued that after the ‘frustrating’ last-minute cancellation, ‘this comes across as incredibly dismissive of the fans who support your career’.
‘A little empathy and awareness would have gone a long way,’ he suggested.
However Surya Ma Suz Webster fiercely defended the chart-topping Scot after seeing him perform in Las Vegas the week before, telling the complainers to ‘get a grip’.
‘I happen [sic] to see him in Vegas last week and he pushed through, but he looked like he was not feeling well. They even put a little thing up at the beginning of the concert that he was on antibiotics and if he should fall over, it will be a good laugh for us all.
‘He’s 81 and still put on a hell of a show, even when he was under the weather. I hope he and his kids have a fabulous damn time.’