Sir Rod Stewart is on the road again – but this time instead of filling stadiums he’s emptying NHS waiting lists as he pays for hospital scans across the country.
The singer has vowed to help patients in Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and “as many cities as I can” as he continues to shame penny-pinching ministers with his generosity.
It comes after the 78-year-old funded a day’s worth of scans at the Princess Alexandra hospital in Harlow near his Essex home, following a surprise pledge on Sky News in January.
He said yesterday: “Now I’m going to go to Glasgow, which is partly arranged, Manchester and Birmingham, and do as many cities as I can just to help. It does work, especially around where I live. It lowered the percentage by 10% of people waiting, which is not a p**s in the ocean.”
Rod, whose father was Scottish, added: “My dad used to say most Scottish people are ‘as tight as two coats of paint’, and Ronnie [Wood of the Rolling Stones] has turned it on me. But I’ve always been generous, he’ll tell you that.”
He was inspired to pay for “20 or 30” NHS scans after going for a scan of his own at a private hospital and seeing how easy the process is when there is no wait. Rod was hailed a hero last year by Ukrainian dad Rostyslav, who told the Mirror how the singer had funded a UK home for him, his wife Olena and their kids Mary, Taras, Dymtro, Kostya and Roman after they fled their war-torn homeland.
Now the star has called on the Government to send F16 fighter jets to Ukraine to help beat Russia ’s invasion.
Rod said: “They are lovely, lovely people. We have to send them the F16s, we’ve got to win this war. It’ll be the end of mankind as we know it if we don’t.”
Now he is preparing to tour New Zealand next month – and revealed he takes four suitcases of clothes on the road. He told New Zealand radio network Newstalk ZB: “I’ve always been a bit of a show-off when it comes to clothes. I’ve always thought it to be an extension of your personality.”
The packing has already begun, he said, adding: “A lot of it has already gone with the amps and the guitars.”
He said he wants to tour less in future but will always find time for charity gigs. He said: “I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t love it. It’s what the good Lord put me on this earth to do. But I want a new challenge. I’m not retiring though. If there’s a charity show and I have to sing Maggie May and Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? I’ll do it tomorrow.”
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