Penny Lancaster reveals Rod Stewart, 81, had 'underlying heart issue' before doctors discovered blockage as she issues a post-surgery health update

Penny Lancaster has revealed husband Sir Rod Stewart had an unknown 'underlying heart issue' before doctors discovered a blockage which required him to undergo a coronary stent procedure this summer.The model and TV personality, 55, said the rocker, 81, is now doing 'great' and has already returned to the gym following the operation - although his family and doctors are making sure he does not push himself too hard.Rod was forced to cancel the remainder of his US tour last month after undergoing the heart procedure and was ordered to take four weeks away from performing.Now Penny has shed new light on the health problems which preceded the operation, revealing the couple had been unaware he had an underlying heart issue.Speaking on Vanessa Feltz's YouTube show At Home With Vanessa, she said: 'He's great. He's really good. He'd gone through a couple of incidents where he had an upper respiratory infection. Penny Lancaster revealed husband Rod Stewart, 81, had a 'underlying heart issue' before doctors discovered a blockage - she appeared on the At Home With Vanessa YouTube show on Wednesday Rod was forced to cancel the remainder of his US tour last month after undergoing the heart procedure and was ordered to take four weeks away from performing, (pictured in July) 'And then he was at a concert where there was very high altitude, so it would affect anybody. But what we didn't know was there was an underlying heart issue.'Penny - who shares sons Alastair, 20, and Aiden, 15, with the singer - said the problem was picked up after medical checks revealed a blockage.She continued: 'I mean, he's like one of the fittest guys I know. Forget being fit for 80-odd. He's fit for someone my age in their 50s.'But fortunately it was at the right time, at the right place and they detected a slight blockage which needed a stent.'Rod announced last month that he had undergone a coronary stent procedure and would be taking four weeks off to recover.The intervention forced the Maggie May hitmaker to call off the remainder of his 2026 US and Mexico dates, including a six-night run at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.At the time, Rod told fans he was 'already feeling better and very much on the mend' but said he was 'deeply disappointed' to miss the shows.The singer had suffered a string of health problems before the operation.He cancelled performances in Las Vegas in May while recovering from a sinus infection before pulling out of a San Diego show in June after being diagnosed with a respiratory infection which caused laryngitis.During a performance in Utah in June, Rod also told the audience he had almost fainted and used an oxygen tank before continuing the concert from a chair.Penny, who married Rod in 2007, said her husband's famously energetic live performances meant doctors were particularly cautious about allowing him to return to touring after the stent procedure.Describing what a typical show demands of him, she said: 'If you can imagine a boxer in a dressing room warming up and psyching himself up for his performance, that's Rod.'He's on the cycling machine warming his legs up, warming his voice up. He's getting prepared with his outfit. He's like pumping his chest.'He comes out the dressing room and it's that walk down the corridor to his stage. And once he gets on stage, he doesn't just walk on, he runs on. Speaking on Vanessa Feltz's YouTube show At Home With Vanessa, she said: 'He's great. He's really good. He'd gone through a couple of incidents where he had an upper respiratory infection''And the first song is like "go, go, go". And he does that for like an hour and a half, two hours.'Penny said the veteran singer races off stage for outfit changes throughout his performances and barely stops moving.She added: 'Every four or five songs, he's dripping wet. He runs off stage, quick change, back up. He doesn't stop.'So of course the doctor's recommendation was not touring, not doing those shows for four weeks to have a full recovery so that he is fit to go back.'Penny previously reassured fans earlier this month that Rod was 'back at full speed in his day-to-day activities', despite having to postpone his return to the stage on doctors' orders.And she said he has wasted little time in getting active again following the procedure.'He's already back in the gym,' she said.But Penny revealed Rod is now being kept under close watch by those around him to ensure his eagerness to return to normal life does not interfere with his recovery.Asked whether she has been telling him to take things easy, she replied: 'We are collectively. 'There's a team of us now between me and my brother and his trainer and doctors and everyone. We're not letting him get away with it. He has to do as he's told.'