The Who’s Roger admitted he’s ‘going blind’ while performing at a charity concert in London on Thursday.
The legendary singer, 81, and his iconic band are currently performing a limited run of shows at the Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust, of which he’s been involved with for decades.
And speaking to the 5000-strong crowd on the night, Roger gave a candid health update as he opened up about his deteriorating eyesight.
Referring to his purple-tinted glasses, the rocker informed fans that they weren’t just for fashion as he shared: ‘The joys of getting old mean you go deaf, I also now have got the joy of going blind.’
He continued: ‘Fortunately I still have my voice, because that I’ll have a full Tommy’, reports The Mirror.
Meanwhile, his bandmate Pete Townshend, 79, also took the opportunity to discuss his own health woes, revealing that he’d had a ‘complete knee replacement’ just over a month before taking to the stage.
The Who’s Roger admitted he’s ‘going blind’ while performing at a charity concert in London on Thursday
The legendary singer, 81, and his iconic band are currently performing a limited run of shows at the Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust
He then quipped to the crowd: ‘But because I’m Superman, I’m here! Maybe I should auction off the old one. Elton John had one done, and he wears his as a bracelet. Unfortunately, mine’s in three bits.’
The star went on to admit that his ailments are a ‘piece of p**s’ compared to what teenagers living with cancer are going through, calling himself ‘lucky’.
The Who originals Roger and Pete, alongside younger band members, then went on to perform a string of their hits including I Can’t Explain, Substitute, Who Are You?, The Kids Are Alright and My Generation.
Back in April 2023, The Who hinted at retirement after almost 60 years together.
Guitarist Pete claimed he and lead singer Roger, who are the only remaining bandmembers, were considering calling it a day due to their ‘old’ ages.
He revealed the pair may take inspiration from Sir Elton John, who hung up his microphone after his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which comprised of 333 shows and ended in July 2023, having begun in September 2018.
Pete told The Sun: ‘It’s difficult to make a decision going forward, to say we’re going to do this or that, because we don’t know how well we’re going to be or how fit we’re going to be.
‘We’re both old. That in itself has a downside because, apart from what you can or can’t do on the stage, when you finish touring you come back to normal life – whatever it is that you decide to do to fill your time away from the road – and it’s harder and takes longer.
Speaking to the 5000-strong crowd on the night, Roger gave a candid health update as he opened up about his deteriorating eyesight
Referring to his purple-tinted glasses, the rocker informed fans that they weren’t just for fashion: ‘The joys of getting old mean you go deaf, I also now have got the joy of going blind’
Meanwhile, his bandmate Pete Townshend , 79, also took the opportunity to discuss his own health woes, revealing that he’d had a ‘complete knee replacement’ just over a month before
‘So life slows down because it’s so much harder getting up and down the stairs, but it also speeds up.’
Roger previously told Record Collector magazine: ‘We’re at that stage where it’s obviously getting closer to retirement.
‘But all the time we’re doing well I’m never going to say we’re not going to do something more in the future.
‘I’ve always said that you don’t give this business up, it gives you up.’
John Entwistle, Keith Moon, Doug Sandom were all members of The Who before their deaths, while Kenney Jones last performed with the band in 2014.
Back in April 2023, The Who hinted at retirement after almost 60 years together (left: Roger Daltrey, right: Pete Townshend, pictured in 2019)
Guitarist Pete claimed he and lead singer Roger are considering calling it a day due to their ‘old’ ages (pictured with John Entwistle and Keith Moon in 1966)
Meanwhile, in January Roger revealed he will be stepping down as curator of the annual Teenage Cancer Trust gigs following this year’s concerts at the Royal Albert Hall.
Roger has driven every show since his band kickstarted the Teenage Cancer Trust concert series back in 2000.
Teenage Cancer Trust says that from 2025 it will be working with a series of guest curators to take the music shows forward.
Roger said: ‘The £32 million raised from these concerts has been the foundation for the 28 specialised units within the NHS, as well as specialist nurses and youth workers to be there for a young person when cancer has turned their world upside down.’
