Elton John postpones tour dates after hip injury leaves him 'in considerable pain'

Elton John is postponing some upcoming tour dates until 2023 after revealing he's in "considerable pain" following a hip injury.

The "Rocket Man" singer on social media announced Thursday "with great sadness" that he's been forced to move the upcoming 2021 dates of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in Europe and the United Kingdom to 2023 due to his injury.

"At the end of my summer break, I fell awkwardly on a hard surface and have been in considerable pain and discomfort in my hip ever since," John said. "Despite intensive physio and specialist treatment, the pain has continued to get worse and is leading to increasing difficulties moving."

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John said he's been advised to undergo an operation "as soon as possible" in order to avoid any "long-term complications," and he also plans to undertake an intensive physiotherapy program. He added that he'll still participate in a Global Citizen charity event on Sept. 25, as this will be a "very different physical undertaking" than performing on his tour. After that, though, John said he plans to have an operation so the tour can "get back on the road" in New Orleans in January 2022.

John previously announced that these shows "will be my final tour dates ever in North America and Europe" but that he planned to "go out in the biggest possible way." He explained in 2018 he decided to retire from touring because "my priorities have changed in my life," noting, "Ten years ago if you asked me if I would stop touring I would have said no. But we had children and that changed our lives." The tour began in 2018, though John later had to postpone shows due to the pandemic. But he promised Thursday, "the shows will return to the road next year and I will make sure they are more than worth the wait."