Sir Rod Stewart took to Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage on Sunday afternoon, delivering an energetic performance in the festival's coveted Legends slot.
However, just minutes into his set, the Maggie May hitmaker couldn't resist addressing a political issue close to his heart, despite the festival finding itself at the centre of controversy thanks to some of its acts' stances.
On Saturday, Avon and Somerset Police confirmed it was "assessing" comments made by Bob Vylan and Kneecap during their respective performances.
The pro-Palestine performers sparked controversy with persistent chants of "Free Palestine", "From the river to the sea", and Vylan hit headlines for encouraging the crowd to chant "Death to the IDF [Israeli Defence Forces]."
Rod Stewart took to the Glastonbury stage on Sunday GETTYMeanwhile, Stewart's political opinions had already landed him in hot water with some critics before he'd even taken to the Pyramid Stage on Sunday after he publicly backed Nigel Farage and Reform UK.
The aforementioned Kneecap mocked Stewart during their Saturday set just hours after his Farage backing emerged, with the rap trio's crowd booing Sir Rod and the band saying: "He's older than Israel."
When the 80-year-old rocker took to the stage on Sunday afternoon, he opened with bagpipes before launching into his 1981 hit Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me).
Soon after, Stewart halted the music to make his political statement to the massive crowd and BBC viewers. "There's been a lot about the Middle East in the news recently, quite rightly so," he began.
Rod Stewart proved he still had plenty of energy during his Glasto set PA"I want to draw your attention to Ukraine for a minute," he told festival-goers before performing The Love Train in dedication to the war-torn nation.
Despite so much conversation surrounding his political stance in the UK, Sir Rod avoided any mentioned of his recent Reform UK backing.
"Music brings us together, we need music," he also told the crowd within the opening few minutes of his Legend's Slot set.
Instead, the veteran performer appeared to forget he was being broadcast live on BBC iPlayer when he complained about the heat, exclaiming: "It's f****** hot!"
In a heartwarming moment, Stewart also welcomed Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis onto the stage to mark his upcoming 90th birthday.
Eavis, who turns 90 in October, arrived in a wheelchair accompanied by his daughter Emily, the festival's organiser.
LATEST GLASTONBURY NEWS:
- Rod Stewart leaves Glastonbury fans in disbelief as they spot distracting feature during performance
- Kate Nash yells 'f*** Rod Stewart' and brands Farage 'a d***head' in BBC Glastonbury set amid rocker's Reform UK backing
- Bob Vylan breaks silence as he takes aim at ‘crying Zionists’ after Glastonbury controversy
Sir Rod publicly urged the nation to "give Farage a chance"
GETTYThe surprises continued as Stewart brought out Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall for a rendition of If You Don't Know Me by Now.
Later in the gig, he welcomed Ronnie Wood and Lulu onto the stage to perform a show-stopping rendition of his hit, Hot Legs.
Stewart's performance came after controversy over his recent endorsement of Reform UK leader Farage. In an interview with The Times, he suggested people should "give Farage a chance".
The performer, dressed initially in a military-style jacket, quickly shed the garment whilst complaining about the heat. "Thank you, thank you, I am so excited, I can hardly breathe," he shared with fans.
Bobby Vylan led chants of "Death to the IDF" at Glastonbury
GETTYHis setlist included classics such as Maggie May, Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?, and his 1977 cover of Cat Stevens' The First Cut Is the Deepest.
The crowd, many dressed in leopard print and wigs in tribute to the star, enthusiastically embraced the performance, while several viewers at home couldn't believe Sir Rod was performing with such gusto at 80 years of age.
Most Read
