Roger Daltrey has stepped down as curator of the Teenage Cancer Trust concerts as he says he is ‘on his way out’ weeks after celebrating his 80th birthday.
The Who star, who has been the frontman of the rock group since 1964, has reflected on his generation after the milestone birthday.
Daltrey has stepped down as the curator for the annual Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) gigs which take place at Royal Albert Hall this month, after turning 80.
Over the past 24 years, the frontman to the Pinball Wizard group has been the leader of TCT, and helped raise $40m for specialized units to care for young cancer sufferers.
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The celebrity has now reflected on his decision to step down, appearing to hint he has something to do about his age and own future.
Writing for The Times, he said:“I have to be realistic. I’m on my way out. The average life expectancy is 83 and with a bit of luck I’ll make that, but we need someone else to drive things.
“I’m not leaving TCT – I’ve been a patron since I first met the charity’s founders, Dr Adrian and Myrna Whiteson, more than 30 years ago – and that will continue, but I’ll be working in the back room, talking to the government, rattling cages.”
The 80-year-old admitted he had concerns over ‘how many words’ he had to remember ahead of recent shows, and feeling nerves before going up on stage.
“On at 8.40pm and I’ve got to say I really feel it tonight,” he wrote, adding: “We haven’t done anything for seven months and this winter’s been brutal. I’ve been in hibernation. For the whole of January, I lost my voice completely.
“I live like a monk and if I went on tour for a week I’d be fit as a butcher’s dog again, but tonight, for the first time in my career, I think, ‘Blimey, this is hard.’”
Daltrey also paid tribute to ‘unsung heroes’ who helped with events for The Who.
Although he has stepped down, he will continue to work at TCT, saying he has ‘completed the job’ he ‘set out to do’.
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