Ian Gillan (adapted from photo by Stefan Brending, Creative Commons CC-BY-SA-3.0 de)
Ian Gillan has moved to calm fans after what he described as an overblown report about his health appeared in the NME. In a short statement dated 22 November 2025 which draws from The Strange Brew, the Deep Purple singer acknowledged a decline in his vision but insisted that he has no intention of stepping away from performing.
Gillan said his eyesight is currently “running at around 30%” because of retinopathy. He was emphatic that retirement is not on the agenda. “I will stop only when I have to; but that moment is still over the horizon and I have no wish to be hurried along,” he wrote.
The statement suggested that the inaccurate impression may have come from a recent online talk Gillan gave for u3a on positive ageing. Gillan singled out a review of that talk published here on The Strange Brew, calling it “well written and informative” and praising the paraphrasing as “accurate and contextual without any drama.” He also made clear that no tour dates have been cancelled at this time.
Key extracts from The Strange Brew article:
Now unable to reach the soaring heights of ‘Child in Time’ since age 38, Gillan has adapted with characteristic pragmatism. “No, I’ve not been able to do that since I was 38 years old. When I was in the church choir, I had a soprano voice and then my voice changed. And I had a young man’s voice that lasted until I was in my late 20s. And then I changed again.”
His forward-thinking approach served him well: “I also said to myself when I was in my 20s and 30s, the last thing I want to do is be screaming when I’m 60. I didn’t think I’d be going on this long, but I am.”
At nearly 80, Gillan shows no signs of slowing down, with Deep Purple’s touring schedule remaining ambitious. His advice on positive aging is characteristically straightforward: “I wish I could give you more medical advice on positive aging, but I think an awful lot of it is in your mind. I used to play football and cricket and swim and dive and all those sort of things and I strangely can’t do that anymore, but I can enjoy talking about it and reminiscing and encouraging others. I think a positive outlook is very important.”
For now Gillan’s message is straightforward: he is not retiring. Fans who worry should look to official Ian Gillan and Deep Purple channels for authorative information.
