Elton John announces UK dates of farewell tour

The singer will play concerts in Hove and Cardiff

(Getty)

Sir Elton John has announced the first UK dates of what's been labelled his final tour.

The "Rocket Man" singer will kick off the three-year, 300 date Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour with a show in Allentown, Pennsylvania, this Saturday (8 September).

Elton will reach the UK on the 9 June 2019, where he'll play the 1st Central County Ground in Hove followed by Cardiff City Stadium in Wales on 15 June.

"I am very happy to announce the launch of my UK Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour with concerts in Hove and Cardiff," he said.

He continued: "The audiences in the south coast and Wales have always been some of the most welcoming and exciting I have played in front of over the past 42 years and the band and I are so excited to say goodbye in the most fantastic way. It's going to be amazing!"

The Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour will consist of more than 300 shows across five continents. The singer will visit North America, Europe, Asia, South America and Australasia before the tour reaches its conclusion in 2021.

Sir Elton announced his farewell tour in January, when he said his "priorities have changed", adding that he and husband David Furnish's two sons, Elijah and Zachary, had transformed their lives.

"In 2015 we sat down with a school schedule and I thought I don't want to miss too much of this. My life has changed, my priorities have changed and my priority now is my family."

He promised to go out with a "big bang" adding it would be "the most fantastic show [he's] ever done".

He said making the decision "wasn't a hard struggle because I love my kids so much and they have taken over my life and are the most important thing".

"I have had a good run," he added, during the press conference in New York which he opened with a performance of "Tiny Dancer" and "I'm Still Standing".

His two sons will join him for a section of the tour as he revealed they would be taken out of school for nine months.

Asked if he could later reconsider his decision, Sir Elton vowed he wouldn't "do a Cher", declaring: "This is the end." He's promised he will continue writing music and working creatively.

He also floated the idea of replicating a residency similar to Kate Bush's 22 dates at the Hammersmith Apollo in 2014.

Tickets for the shows go on general sale on September 14 at 10am with pre-sale starting at 10am on September 10.

Additional reporting by agencies.