Sir Brian May’s wife Anita Dobson has given an update on the future of Queen.
The legendary Queen guitarist, 78, revealed in 2024 that he had suffered a minor stroke, losing control of his left arm in what he called a ‘scary’ incident.
Since his stroke, he has appeared on stage to perform – even joining Benson Boone on stage at Coachella in the summer – but the future of the legendary group has remained uncertain.
Speaking to The Mirror, his wife Anita, 76, has provided some clarity, revealing there won’t be any world tours in the group’s future.
‘They will do little bits and bobs, but they won’t do those big tours,’ she said.
‘We are all getting old.’
This comes after drummer Roger Taylor also told Rolling Stone magazine that they had no plans to have a final farewell tour.
‘I don’t think we’re done. And I don’t think we’re going to say a final farewell tour. Because it never is, is it?’ he said.
When pressed and asked if the band will be ‘resting forever,’ he replied: ‘At one point we will be.’
After Freddie Mercury’s death in 1991, the band didn’t perform live for some time, with John Deacon retiring from the group in 1997. Brian and Roger Taylor continued to make sporadic appearances together and in 2004, they began performing as a trio.
In 2004, Queen began performing live again with Paul Rodgers as their lead vocalist.
In 2011, Adam Lambert took over the role and performed with them for five tours, including the Rhapsody Tour, which took place in 2023 and 2024.
But while the band might not be set to go on tour again, new music is a possibility.
‘I think it could happen,’ Brian told MOJO earlier this year. ‘Both Roger [Taylor] and I are constantly writing and coming up with ideas and doing things in our studios.
‘I could have the beginnings of a Queen song right there in front of me now. It’s just whether the idea reaches maturity or not. It’s whether that seed can grow.’
Brian has been married to Anita since 2000. Anita is an actress and is best known for playing landlady Angie Watts in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.
The couple first met in 1986 at a film premiere and were together for years before they tied the knot 25 years ago.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain earlier this year, she revealed that Brian was in good health after his scare: ‘He’s very well now. I’m very happy to say, thank you both for asking. He’s very well now, he’s back to his old self!’
The music icon’s stroke happened while he was already healing from a ripped muscle and trapped nerve that occurred when he injured himself while gardening, as he suffered a heart attack in 2020.
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