Rod Stewart gave fans a tremendous scare during his latest concert after appearing to struggle onstage and pausing his performance to use oxygen. The 81-year-old rock legend was performing at Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre in West Valley City on Friday, June 19, when he appeared visibly distressed, leaning forward mid-set in an alarming fashion.

According to TMZ, staff rushed an oxygen tank to the stage after Rod doubled over, with footage obtained by the outlet showing the singer taking a moment to compose himself before receiving assistance. The music icon subsequently addressed the audience directly, admitting to the crowd that he had nearly fainted, while still managing to raise a few laughs to ease the tension.

Rather than cutting the show short, Rod returned to the stage and completed the entire performance while seated in a chair – a remarkable show of determination from the famously high-octane frontman, who has spent decades sprinting across stages, kicking footballs into the crowd and delivering his greatest hits in his trademark gravelly voice.

The alarming episode comes off the back of a particularly difficult few weeks for the Maggie May singer. Earlier this month, Rod announced that several dates from his Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace would be rescheduled after doctors ordered him to rest while recovering from the flu.

Shortly afterwards, he cancelled four shows and postponed two further dates across Nevada and California as he continued to battle ongoing health concerns. "So sorry, my friends. I'm devastated and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience to my fans," he wrote in a message shared on Instagram at the time. I'll be back on stage and we'll see you soon – Sir Rod."

A subsequent statement from his team confirmed he had been diagnosed with an acute upper respiratory infection which had led to laryngitis.

Rod also encountered criticism after calling off a California concert shortly before curtain-up, before travelling to Boston hours afterwards to watch Scotland compete in the World Cup alongside his sons. He later clarified that treatment had improved his physical condition, but his voice remained insufficiently strong for him to take to the stage.

The singer has consistently been frank about the physical toll of touring, especially as he maintains a demanding schedule well into his eighties.

Rod is currently making his way across the US with his One Last Time Tour, which marks a career stretching over six decades.