Sir Elton John announces three-year farewell world tour

Sir Elton John is to embark on a three-year farewell world tour as he bows out of live performing to spend more time with his children.

Sir Elton John has announced his retirement. Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

The 70-year-old hitmaker – who has been touring for almost 50 years – announced his retirement yesterday evening ahead of a celebratory concert next week at Madison Square Garden in New York.

He will start a 300-date Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in the US in September before arriving in the UK and Europe in April 2019.

Announcing the decision, Sir Elton said his “priorities have changed”, adding that his and husband David Furnish’s two sons, Elijah and Zachary, had changed their lives.

“In 2015 we sat down with a school schedule and I thought I don’t want to miss too much of this ... My life has changed, my priorities have changed and my priority now is my family.”

He added it was a chance “to say thank you to all my fans around he world and then to say goodbye”.