Morrissey has spoken of his battle with cancer, saying, “They have scraped cancerous tissues four times already, but whatever."

Speaking to Hot Press in August, the singer revealed that his health problems had scared him. "I've never been so frightened in my life," he said, speaking of his hospitalisation with acute fever back in June.

Now, in an interview with Spanish paper El Mundo, he appears to have taken a more dismissive approach. "If I die, then I die. And if I don’t, then I don’t. Right now I feel good. I am aware that in some of my recent photos I look somewhat unhealthy, but that’s what illness can do. I’m not going to worry about that, I’ll rest when I’m dead.”

Thoughts of mortality are no new thing; Moz also spoke to Hot Press about how he imagines his funeral. "Oh they'll all turn up... finally ready with praise once I'm out of earshot. Isn't that how it usually goes?"

Meanwhile, his long-awaited European tour kicked off last night in Lisbon; and not without controversy either. His entire backing band wore t-shirts reading 'FUCK HARVEST', in the latest shot at the record company that Moz feels provided insufficient support for his latest release, World Peace Is None Of Your Business