Sir Rod Stewart's Glastonbury star guests revealed as legend, 80, admits he almost CANCELLED festival over freak illness
THINK I'M SICKSY? Sir Rod Stewart's Glastonbury star guests revealed as legend, 80, admits he almost CANCELLED festival over freak illness
SIR ROD STEWART will take to the Pyramid Stage for one final time tomorrow in the famous Legends slot.
But during an exclusive chat with me before his arrival at Worthy Farm, the rock legend admitted he was close to cancelling the epic 90-minute show just days ago after being struck down with illness.
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Sir Rod Stewart will take to the Pyramid Stage for one final time in the famous Legends slot
Credit: Penny Lancaster
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Rod said: 'Ronnie Wood is coming on with me and Lulu to do Stay With Me'
Credit: Reuters
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Lulu will join Sir Rod on stage
Credit: Getty
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Rod said: 'Mick Hucknall and I are going to come up and sing She Was Only A Pilot's Daughter But She Kept Her Cockpit Clean'
Credit: Getty
'I've had to cancel five shows because of this bastard flu,' Rod roars.
'This time last week I was thinking of cancelling. It was a close shave. I have had Influenza A. It's been so terrible.
'But my dear wife Penny and some good medical people got me through it. There was a lot of technical massaging from some very good people I know, which sounds filthy doesn't it? You've got no idea.
'But my dear wife, she said to me 'You are going to do this. It's mind over matter.' She nursed me back to health. She really is a great girl.
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'Honestly Ellie, it's the worst thing anyone could possibly have, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.'
With a devious giggle, Rod adds: 'Apart from Putin. I'd wish it on him.'
Solemnly he continued: 'I am really looking forward to it now. I feel honoured and privileged, considering four days ago I wasn't going to make it.'
Rod's slot is gearing up to be one of the best Legend slots Glastonbury has seen for years and the Maggie May singer — who has enjoyed six No1 singles in his career — has got a treat lined up for fans with his guests.
'Mick Hucknall and I are going to come up and sing She Was Only A Pilot's Daughter But She Kept Her Cockpit Clean,' Rod roars with laughter.
'Only joking. We are going to sing If You Don't Know Me By Now. And then Lulu is coming on.
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'She is going to sing Hot Legs and then Ronnie Wood is coming on with me and Lulu to do Stay With Me.'
We're really sounding good.
'All three of my guests are in excellent form and are playing well. We had the best rehearsal yesterday.'
Rod sounds fighting fit and raring to go as we chat on the phone, him from his home in Essex and me in the blazing sunshine down at Worthy Farm.
'I don't know what I am going to wear, darling,' Rod laughs.
'It is so hot. I'm so excited. The Glastonbury people have been very good to me.
'I only had an hour and 15 and I said, 'Mate, I can't do an hour and 15, I've got so many songs people want to hear,' and, bless them, they gave me another 15 minutes which was wonderful.
'I've got 20 odd songs on the set list and it's usually 29. There are so many songs I can't do.
"And we're not just doing slow ones. We're doing three fast songs, then some slow ones, and then some fast ones to keep it all going.'
Rod will be joined on the farm by his family for the iconic slot, which is expected to draw in a crowd of 250,000 people on site — as well as millions tuning in at home.
'Penny will be out the front,' Rod explains. Then three of my kids are already on site.
'We're so excited'
'Ruby has come, Renee and Alistair are there. And Aiden will be there. That's four out of the eight.
'I'm driving down on Saturday evening and I am staying in Bath.
'We're going to have a good band p***-up the night before.'
Rod — who last played Glastonbury back in 2002 — says the sight of his band stepping foot on the farm is one thing he's really looking forward to.
'We are all so excited but I have done it before,' Rod explains.
'But all the guys in my band have never done it apart from the drummer.
'And I've got six girls in the band and they are beside themselves with excitement because they're American — they never thought they'd get on the Glastonbury stage.
'I'm honestly more happy for the band than I am for myself. It feels a privilege. I can't wait.'
We've got our Rod wigs ready and will be down the front with Penny to watch the legend himself tomorrow.
Bring it on.
LORDE celebrated the release of new album Virgin by playing it from start to finish in a surprise set.
She opened the Woodsies stage yesterday morning but after news of her show was leaked, the area was closed off almost an hour before she took to the stage, as thousands flocked there.
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Lorde celebrated the release of new album Virgin by playing it from start to finish in a surprise set
Credit: PA
But the Kiwi singer, dressed in a white T-shirt and matching trousers, admitted she thought she might never return with music after struggling following the release of her third record Solar Power.
She told the crowd: 'This is f***ing sick.
'I decided to play the entire record for you front to back.
'I didn't know if I would make another record, but I'm back here.
'I'm so grateful for you for waiting. It's going to be a sick festival.'
PLAQUE FOR GOOD, ROBBIE?
ROBBIE WILLIAMS got fans' hopes up that he would be performing again at the festival when he shared a photo of this fake blue plaque on Instagram.
It marked 30 years since Rob 'entered this area without accreditation, authorisation, or alignment with prevailing taste. His presence was uninvited, unofficial and ultimately inevitable.'
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Robbie Williams got fans' hopes up that he would be performing again at the festival
Credit: Supplied
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He shared a photo of this fake blue plaque on Instagram
Credit: Supplied
The singer caused a stir in 1995 when he attended Glasto fresh from quitting Take That.
The singer has only played there once in 1998.
But the Rock DJ singer sadly swerved a return to the event this year.
PALOMA FAITH is popping her Glastonbury cherry as a punter.
The Only Love Can Hurt Like This singer, who performed on the Pyramid Stage last year, is at Worthy Farm this weekend and told our Jack she's looking forward to not working.
Paloma said: 'This year is going to be the first year of my life that I've ever been to Glastonbury as a punter.
'I'm camping.
'I'm doing the whole thing.
'To be honest I've been dreading it.
'The reason why I've never done a festival before is because I don't like the thought of camping.
'But then I thought, 'I can't knock it until I've tried it.''
Asked if she was slumming in a £10 tent from Argos or in one of the push yurts, Paloma said with a grin: 'It is quite posh,' before asking: 'What's a yurt? Mine's glamping.'
Giving her best festival confession, Paloma added: 'I went to a festival before I was signed to a record label.
'My boyfriend forgot the bedding.
'I was fuming and as I had a gig I made him sleep naked and I used his clothes as a duvet.
'He was shivering.'
JAMES NORTON had me – and plenty of others – howling as he joined other celebs in reading out letters yesterday.
The actor was among a string of stars, including Simon Pegg and Benedict Cumberbatch, on the Greenpeace Stage for Letters Live.
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James Norton joined other celebs in reading out letters
Credit: Getty
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Benedict Cumberbatch backstage at Greenpeace Stage for Letters Live
Credit: Getty
He read a 2013 one to a newspaper about disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong.
James, who is dating singer Lily Allen, read out: 'I think it is just terrible and disgusting how everyone continues to treat Lance Armstrong – especially after what he achieved by winning seven Tour de France races while competing on drugs.
'The last time I was on drugs, I couldn't even find my bike.'
I reckon there'll be a fair few people in that state on Worthy Farm.
CHARLI'S EARLY TO THE PARTY
TONIGHT'S Other Stage headliner Charli XCX has been on site since Thursday, making the most of her weekend at Worthy Farm.
Joined by her fiancé, The 1975 drummer George Daniel – whose band headlined the Pyramid Stage last night – Charli was seen strutting through hospitality on Thursday before heading up to the Woodsies Stage where they checked out Daniel Avery's set.
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Charli XCX was seen strutting through hospitality on Thursday before heading up to the Woodsies Stage
Credit: supplied
They then slipped backstage at the Pyramid to a staff area to relax away from prying eyes.
Speaking to Bizarre, Charli said: 'I'm trying to keep a low profile. I'm here to have fun.'
Yesterday, Charli was up early cheering on pal Lorde from the side of the stage for her secret set at Woodsies.
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