Rod Stewart has cut back on his alcohol consumption and taken up boxing after embarking on a lifestyle overhaul following a recent knee and ankle procedure.
The music legend, 76, recently endured a £8,000 ankle fusion surgery and a full knee replacement after years of playing football took a toll on his body.
He said he still purchase several bottles of alcohol after his music gigs, but confirmed it’s actually for the enjoyment of his band mates.
On a health kick! Rod Stewart has cut back on his alcohol consumption and taken up boxing after embarking on a lifestyle overhaul following a recent knee and ankle procedure
On Tuesday’s forthcoming episode of The Harry Redknapp Show podcast, Rod said: ‘I’ve just had a full knee replacement and I’ve also had an ankle fusion – all thanks to football.
‘I like to box on the big bag in my gym, but after a gig these days I’ll order four of five bottles of red wine a bottle of Bacardi, it’s mostly for the band. They always come back to my dressing room for a celebration after every gig.’
Despite reducing his alcohol intake, Rod admitted to getting ‘p****d’ at Buckingham Palace when he received his knighthood in 2016.
Speaking on what Prince William said to him at the time, he recalled: ‘He said, “So, are you still singing?” I said “Yeah mate, I’ve got a big family. I’ve got to.”
Putting down the glass of wine: The music legend, 76, recently endured a £8,000 ankle fusion surgery and a full knee replacement after years of playing football took a toll on his body
‘It was a proud moment though. I wish my dad had seen it. I went to the palace, got p***ed at lunchtime.
‘The Queen asked me how Will had done, saying “did he make a good job of it?” I said “yeah”. I’m definitely a Royalist for sure.’
In the revealing interview, the Maggie May hitmaker confirmed he has put his feud to bed with musical icon, Elton John.
Things had became strained in 2018 when Rod poked fun at the Your Song singer’s retirement tour and again in 2019 after he made a remark about the biopic based on Elton’s career called Rocketman.
However they are now thought to have patched things up and be ‘mates again’, with father-of-eight Rod wanting to set a good example for his children by apologising.
Speaking of their mended friendship, he added: ‘I was a bit spiteful when he announced his tour. I regret it, I really do regret it. So we’re mates again now. I do love him.’
Party: On Tuesday’s forthcoming episode of The Harry Redknapp Show podcast, Rod said: ‘after a gig these days, I’ll order four of five bottles of red wine a bottle of Bacardi it’s mostly for the band’
He continued: ‘I say to my kids, “A man apologises, go and apologise to your mother”. We’ve just made up as friends again, me and Elton.
‘We’ve always been fierce enemies… through the years, but it’s always been at a playful level. But we had the worst row, like a married couple. It went on forever.’
Rod and Elton have been friends for around 50 years, with them often making playful comments about each other and even using nicknames Sharon and Phyllis.
Last October it was reported that Elton has addressed their feud in a brand new chapter from the paperback version of his autobiography called Me. The original hardback version was published in October 2019.
In an excerpt obtained by The Sun, the legendary musician reportedly said that Rod had a ‘f***ing cheek’ lecturing him about ‘rock and roll’.
Friends turned foe… turned friend: The Maggie May hitmaker also confirmed that he has put his feud to bed with musical icon, Elton John (pictured together in 2004)
It read: ‘I certainly didn’t feel like I needed a lecture on the feral spirit of rock and roll from someone who’d spent most of the last decade crooning his way through the Great American Songbook and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.
‘What’s more, I thought he had a f***ing cheek, complaining about me promoting a tour while he was sat on a TV show promoting his own tour.’
According to the publication, Elton goes on to reveal that he reached out to Rod and told him they had ‘known each other far too long to fall out over something like that’.
Yet Rod’s manager reportedly told him that he was unable to speak to him on the phone as he was on ‘constant vocal rest’ between touring.
Elton is believed to have responded: ‘I had no idea what I’d done to upset him so much. Which was ironic, given the hours I’d put in over the years deliberately trying to annoy him.’
Making a mend: Things had became strained in 2018 when Rod poked fun at Elton’s retirement tour and again in 2019 after he made a remark about the star’s biopic called Rocketman (pictured in 2018)