Ringo Starr is unsure about touring plans for 2022

2 October 2021

Sir Ringo Starr doesn’t know if he will tour in 2022 – because the COVID-19 situation is still “dodgy”.

Ringo Starr

The 81-year-olf Beatles legend had no choice but to call off all his shows in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and although he has the opportunity to head out on the road with his All-Starr Band again next year, he is still wary about risking his health.

He said: “We didn’t know what it was going to be like in March 2020.

“It was getting a bit rough and we all knew about it and we had to postpone the main tour.

“In my naivety I’m on the Internet and I’m saying, ‘I’m sorry, I know you all wanted to come to these gigs but don’t worry, hold on to the tickets because I’m going to do the exact same tour next year’.

“And, of course, we didn’t.

“I’m not going out this year. They’ve sent me the itinerary over for next year but it’s impossible to say if it’s on. I’m saying in my heart it’s on, but let’s see where we are.

“Getting through the pandemic has not been easy but what has made it easier for me is that I’ve had the chance to make music and hang out with other musicians.

“Last year we’d all be tested before we joined up together and this year we’ve all had our jabs so we hang out.

“It’s been a very strange year but when the tour dates come up I think to myself, ‘I want to be on tour’.

“But it’s not going to happen, that’s just the truth of the whole deal. It’s still dodgy.”

Ringo – who is married to 74-year-old actress Barbara Bach – admitted he missed out a big celebration to mark his 80th birthday in 2020 due to the coronavirus crisis, and although he has had the chance to see his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren he still laments the lost time.

The ‘Octopus’s Garden’ drummer – who has just released his new EP ‘Change The World’ – previously said: “What big plans we had for 2020. I was 80, we were going to have a big celebration, all the kids and the grandkids. Everybody was coming into LA and we were going to have a great time. It didn’t happen. It was hard.”