Chris Rea quits touring

Irish fans can bid farewell to him on April 28 when he brings his unfeasibly large back catalogue to the Olympia.
Tickets for what promises to be an emotional night are on sale now priced €44.
“I don’t want to be hindered by my health,” he reflects. “I love touring – it’s the best job in the world if I had a different body! My health is hard to forecast and I can’t guarantee things aren’t going to get any worse, so this will be the last time I tour as Chris Rea. I need to find a different way of working.”
The good news is that the Middlesbrough man will continue to record as part of new three-piece outfit The Fire Flies. There may even be the odd show, but nothing to rival the road marathons that have been a feature of Rea’s 25-year career.