Rock star says he was re-enacting TV scene after video appears to show him acting out Isis-style beheading in desert

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Sir Rod Stewart has denied mocking up an Islamic State-style beheading in the desert and claimed he was in fact recreating a scene from Game of Thrones.

The rock veteran, 72, was seen in a since-removed video on a dune in Abu Dhabi pretending to cut the throat of a companion who was positioned in front of him on his knees.

The scene, posted on Instagram by his wife, Penny Lancaster, was reminiscent of several propaganda films released by Isis, including footage of the killing of Alan Henning, a British aid worker.

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But in an apology, Stewart said he was playing out a scene from the fantasy TV drama Game of Thrones.

The singer said: “From re-enacting the Beatles’ Abbey Road crossing to spontaneously playing out Game Of Thrones, we were simply larking about pre-show.



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



Relatives of David Haines, an aid worker who was executed in September 2014 by Isis, expressed their anger at Stewart’s actions on Friday. Haines’ daughter told the Daily Mail: “This actually happened to my dad and it’s not something to joke about... I think it’s disgraceful that a celebrity who is thought of as a role model would do this sort of thing.”



Her stepmother, Haines’ second wife Dragana, called Stewart’s stunt “immature and completely irresponsible” and asked that he apologise to the families who had lost loved ones to Isis.

She went on: “All we want to do is try to live our lives in as normal way as possible under the circumstances. I want my daughter to have a happy childhood and she does not need to be reminded of her loss every now and then by people who unfortunately find it laughable.”

Stewart had performed in Abu Dhabi and is on a world tour with forthcoming dates in the US and Mexico. He performed at the O2 in London last weekend.

A flurry of Isis beheadings – many carried out by the British extremist Mohammed Emwazi, known as Jihadi John – drew global attention when the terrorist group released high-quality footage of the grisly deaths.

Among his victims were Henning, from Salford; James Wright Foley, an American photojournalist; Steven Sotloff, an American journalist; David Haines, a British aid worker; and Peter Kassig, an American aid worker.