The Rolling Stones Cancel Tour Amid Keith Richards’ Health Issues: ‘Pretty Brutal Wake-Up Call’ (Exclusive)

It wasn’t the news Rolling Stones fans wanted to hear.

On December 16, Variety reported the British rock band had called off plans for a 2026 stadium tour in the U.K. and England amid reports that Keith Richards could not commit to the rigorous schedule due to his battle with arthritis.

Fans were disappointed, as were Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood.

A source tells the National Enquirer that Richards’ bandmates are kicking their heels in frustration and fretting over the 82-year-old guitarist’s condition.

“As much money as they’re going to lose, this is really about what they’re missing out on from an identity standpoint,” reveals the source. “Being on the road isn’t just what they do, it’s who they are.”

Jagger, 82, doesn’t need the money, notes the source. The frontman has a $600 million fortune, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Neither does Wood, 78, who’s amassed $200 million. What they do need, though, is “the excitement of touring and performing,” the source explains. “It’s become their entire sense of purpose.”

The Stones have talked about retiring for decades, says the source, “and they’ve done all sorts of farewell tours.” However, “none of them truly believed the day would come when it would actually be over,” the source admits. “This has been a pretty brutal wake-up call.”

Not just for Richards — who revealed to the BBC in 2023 that he’s had to change the way he plays guitar due to his arthritis — but for the rest of the band, too.

“Keith’s blaming arthritis but of course there are fears it’s more than that,” dishes the source. “Years of hard living don’t just disappear and there’s a growing worry that all the drugs and booze may finally be catching up with him.”

Adds the source: “None of these guys have ever wanted to confront their age or slow down, but this situation is forcing them to face it head-on.”