Rod Stewart apologises for fake execution video prank in Abu Dhabi desert

A video posted on his wife's Instagram account, which has since been removed, showed the 72-year-old pop singer doing a mock beheading in the Abu Dhabi desert, similar to those carried out by ISIL.

ABU DHABI // Rock singer Rod Stewart made a public apology this weekend after being filmed carrying out a prank execution in the Abu Dhabi desert during his latest world tour.

A video posted on his wife ­Penny Lancaster’s Instagram account, which has since been removed, showed the 72-year-old carrying out a mock beheading, mimicking real murders by ISIL terrorists.

Stewart said he and his friends were merely "larking about" re-enacting scenes from television show Game of Thrones, and that his actions were "misinterpreted".

"From re-enacting the Beatles' Abbey Road crossing to spontaneously playing out Game Of Thrones, we were simply larking about pre-show," the veteran British singer said in an apology.

“Understandably, this has been misinterpreted and I send my deepest apologies to those who have been offended.”

Fans who attended the concert seemed largely unperturbed by the clip.

“It’s just some rather dumb goofing around that he’s probably had to invent an alternative explanation for after the event,” said Scottish Abu Dhabi resident John Collins.

Fellow Abu Dhabi resident Sana Bagersh was keen to ignore the “stupid desert stuff,” focusing instead on the concert taking.

“What blew me away was the stagecraft, colours, images and general ambience,” she said.

“It was definitely a concert for diehard fans — Rod belted out much-loved hits, which is gratifying especially as many singers, Madonna for instance, just push new stuff and lose those fans who came for the oldies.”