Rod Stewart revealed he retired his on-stage antics after his pal was left needing surgery because he was accidentally booted in the face with a football during one of the music legend's performances.
The Maggie May singer, 78, is known for kicking signed footballs into the crowd as a gimmick, but ultimately decided to stop after accidentally hurting his pal. "I got one or two lawsuits,” the Celtic superfan told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“In fact, when I got to Hollywood Bowl last year, a dear friend who came all the way over to see me got smashed in the face with a ball. It broke his glasses. He’s still having operations."
He added: "It was very upsetting for both of us. I said, ‘You’ve got to keep your eye on the ball in all sports, Mate.’”
This isn't the first time someone has been injured by stray footballs being kicked about at Sir Rod's gigs, as he admitted he'd been sued by fans in the past. The Rhythm of My Heart singer was sued in 2014 by Mostafa Kashe who was “unexpectedly hit in the face” by a flying football.
The injured fan launched a legal battle against Rod and said that due to his "significant experience in the sport of soccer" he should have "known his actions could cause injury to unsuspecting patrons of his concerts".
The Hoops-daft superstar previously said that the stunt became so popular, fans were getting hurt after the gig as people rushed to get their hands on the signed merchandise. Speaking on the Harry Redknapp Show podcast in 2021 he said: “I had to stop — people went mad. They would walk out with a football and get mugged outside as they’re worth a lot of money.”
He joked: “It’s like an Old Firm game, really.”
Before completely retiring the stunt, Rod allowed his two youngest children sons Aiden and Alastair - who he shares with model wife Penny Lancaster - to punt balls into the crowd in 2018 after he injured his leg.
Sir Rod is performing a residency on the Las Vegas Strip currently, and says he is fitter than ever thanks to his lively stage antics and love of sports. He said: “I love to perform, and have always kept myself fit because I’ve always played soccer.
"I work out three times a week. I’ve been doing that over the last 35 years. I don’t smoke, I have a drink now and then. I work the muscles in my legs.
He added: “My dad said, ‘Keep your legs strong, all your life, and you’ll always be mobile’. That’s been very important.”
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