The Who's Roger Daltrey: "I'm on my way out"

3 April 2024, 16:20 | Updated: 3 April 2024, 16:26

The Who's Roger Daltrey at The O2 Arena in 2023. Picture: Matthew Baker/Getty Images

By Jenny Mensah

The Who frontman has opened up about his age after turning 80 last month.

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Roger Daltrey has opened up about ageing and being "realistic" about his twilight years.

The Who frontman turned 80 years old on 1st March and discussed stepping down from his role at the Teenage Cancer Trust after 24 years because he believes that he hasn't got many more years left.

“I have to be realistic," he told The Times. "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.”

The Substitute rocker went on: "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 Who legend might be taking a step back from his role at the charity, but he's by no means stepping away from the limelight entirely, recently announcing a string North American dates for this summer.

A statement on the legendary band's official Instagram account confirmed: "Roger Daltrey will be returning to the States on a special solo tour this June, presenting a mostly acoustic set of Who gems, rarities, solo nuggets and other surprises with an intimate rock-based band and setting as well as answering questions from the audience."

Special guests on the tour include Suddenly I See singer KT Tunstall and singer-songwriter Dan Bern.

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When it comes to The Who's return, however, the singer has left it in the hands of his band's bassist and co-founder Pete Townshend, hinted he wouldn't be devastated if the chapter was closed entirely.

Asked when the Baba O'Riley rockers would return he told The Times: "I can’t answer that. I don’t write the songs. I never did. We need to sit down and have a meeting, but at the moment I’m happy saying that part of my life is over."