Veteran rock star Rod Stewart will join some storied octogenarians when he takes to the stage in front of thousands of fans at the Glastonbury music festival next year.

On Tuesday it was announced that Stewart will play the Glastonbury legends slot on the Pyramid stage next year after headlining the festival in 2002.

Stewart will turn 80 before his festival appearance, making him a a member of a select and small group of 80-plus artists.

Paul McCartney was 80 when he performed at the festival in 2022, while the late Burt Bacharach was 87 when he took the stage in 2015.

Glastonbury festival organiser Emily Eavis said in a post on Instagram: “Bringing Sir Rod Stewart back for the Sunday afternoon slot on the Pyramid stage is everything we could wish for. 

“What a way to bow out with the final legends slot before we take a fallow year. We cannot wait!” 

The legends slot has become a showcase for some of the biggest names in rock gone by, giving veteran performers a chance to greet new audiences, as well as throngs of fast-aging fans.

Previous big names to grace to perform in recent years include  Yusef / Cat Stevens, Shania Twain, Diana Ross, Dolly Parton, Tom Jones, Tony Bennett and James Brown.

Stewart, though, will be the first artist to have headlined both the festival and the legend slot.

Stewart has been performing steadily for more than 60 years, including stints in Las Vegas in recent years and a tour of the the UK with Boy George last year.

But for those prepared to make the trip to the UK for Glastonbury it could be their last chance to see the rock great perform live.

Last week, Stewart announced he will end “large-scale world tours”, while stopping short of announcing his retirement. 

“I love what I do, and I do what I love. I’m fit, have a full head of hair, and can run 100 metres in 18 seconds at the jolly old age of 79,” he said. 

“I’d like to move onto a Great American Songbook, Swing Fever tour the year after next – smaller venues and more intimacy. But then again, I may not…” 

The post was signed “The Ambiguous Sir Rod Stewart”.

Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is one the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 120 million records worldwide.

He took up busking with a harmonica in 1962 before joining the Dimensions as a vocalist in 1963 as a vocalist.

He went on to perform with Long John Baldry and the All Stars, the Jeff Beck Group and Faces through the 60s before launching a massively successful solo career.