Rod wears gloves to visit Starbucks as virus proves it targets the rich and famous too
SIR Rod Stewart donned a pair of white leather gloves yesterday in an attempt to ward off infection as the coronavirus panic rocked the world of showbusiness.
The singer was spotted in Los Angeles before heading to Las Vegas for a show last night at Caesars Palace, where his wife Penny Lancaster revealed that the rest of Sir Rod’s US tour has been postponed.
It came as other rock tours, movie premieres, soaps and theatre events on Broadway were hit by a wave of cancellations ordered to slow the spread of the virus.
Politicians, celebrities and sports stars are among the thousands who have tested positive in the US for Covid-19.
Others, including supermodel Heidi Klum, revealed they were self-isolating after becoming unwell, prompting fears they had been infected.
Klum, 46, posted a croaky video on social media, saying: ‘I’m not feeling good. That’s why I’ve stayed at home to not infect any other people. I hope it is just a cold. I would love to do the corona test but there just isn’t one here.’
Fans face the prospect of their favourite TV shows and soaps running out of new episodes as major Hollywood studios have shut down – at a potential cost of tens of billions of dollars.
An insider at Disney said: ‘The virus has decimated the global entertainment industry. Film and TV sets have shut down, projects ready to go have been canned. There will be a shortage of new content.
‘People are going to be stuck at home which will be a cash cow for companies like Netflix, but the rest of the industry has been decimated and thrown into total chaos.’
An ITV source said Coronation Street, Britain’s most popular soap, has enough material to air two new episodes a week for 18 weeks.
But the latest season of Love Island, due to begin filming in Majorca within weeks, faces being axed at a cost of around £10 million.
The release of Hollywood films including the new 007 film No Time to Die and Disney’s £200 million Mulan have been delayed until next year.
Insiders fear losses of £15 billion if the film industry is shut down until the end of April.
Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson, the most high-profile showbusiness victims of the outbreak, remained in isolation in Australia last night after testing positive while Hanks was working on a new film about Elvis Presley. ‘When Tom Hanks was taken down, that sent shockwaves around town,’ a producer for movie giant Warner Brothers said. ‘Every studio from Disney to Warners immediately shut down production and sent everyone home.’
Other music acts have also been badly affected by attempts to halt the virus spread and fears of catching it.
An upcoming Rolling Stones tour of the US is expected to be cancelled this week. ‘Mick [Jagger] and the rest of the band are in the high-risk group so we’re taking no chances,’ a source said.
Singer Robbie Williams has postponed a sold-out Las Vegas residency due to start later this month while the release of Adele’s new album is also likely to be pushed back.