Penny Lancaster has said her husband Sir Rod Stewart will “come back stronger than ever” following a heart operation that forced him to cancel the rest of his 2026 tour dates. The 55-year-old, speaking to the Press Association, said the 81-year-old musician is now back to “full speed” in his day-to-day activities.

A Forced Hiatus

Sir Rod underwent a coronary stent procedure in August, and his team subsequently announced the cancellation of his upcoming tour dates in the US and Mexico, which had been scheduled to extend into September. At the time, his team shared that he was “deeply disappointed” to let fans down but was “on the mend.” Doctors advised the singer to take four weeks to recuperate before returning to the stage.

Lancaster explained that while her husband is recovering well, the decision to cancel the tour was precautionary, given the physical demands of his performances. “I did have to explain to the doctor what Rod's performances are like,” she said. “He doesn't just sit down on a stool or behind a piano, he runs around for nearly two hours with four different costume changes because he's sweating through everything. So, I compared him to either a boxer coming out of his dressing room on the way to the ring, or either a horse coming out the blocks, I mean, he runs on and he's like, you know, straight into it, 100 miles an hour and doesn't stop.”

Despite the setback, Lancaster said her husband remains in good spirits. “He's back at full speed in his day-to-day activities, but doctor's orders were to kind of postpone or cancel the current tour, because you know the risk factors involved,” she said. “Just for precaution that tour unfortunately had to be cancelled, which he was devastated about.”

A Return to the Stage

While Sir Rod is eager to resume performing, he is still under strict instructions to gradually rebuild his workout routine. “We were under strict instructions about the level of workout he could do, and it's a gradual, build him up, build him up, kind of thing,” Lancaster said. “But he's going to come back stronger than ever, I found it hard enough as it was to slow him down so now he feels like he's got a new lease of life.”

Sir Rod is expected to return to the US for dates next year. Lancaster said her husband “can't wait to see his fans again” and has been touched by the “wonderful well wishes and support” he has received.

Supporting Education

Lancaster was speaking as she backed the Street Child charity's Back To School campaign, which urges the public to pledge £4 per month to support a child's education for a full year. The charity reports that 79 million children worldwide do not have access to education.

“I remember first recognising Street Child when I saw the work that they were doing in Sierra Leone, and felt like I wanted to reach out, and I donated, but I wanted to see if there was other things I could do,” she said. “So I've periodically been involved in some of their different campaigns and work that they've done, and tried to highlight their cause.”

Lancaster, a mother, stressed the importance of education and the disparity in opportunity. “Particularly as a mum, being in such a fortunate position, we don't have to worry about providing the basics, being able to afford to send our children to a good school. And I think, sadly, particularly these days, I don't think children realise how lucky they are to go to school,” she said. “Whether it's a country hit by a natural disaster, or the infrastructure is damaged, or the roads are blocked, or there aren't enough trained teachers, or girls aren't allowed to go to school. We take it for granted because we live in a country like this, it's just unimaginable to think how awful that must be.”

The charity has said that those who set up a gift before September will help Street Child get a child back to school this term.