Rod: 'I wasn't fit to perform'

Rod Stewart has told a jury he was in not fit enough to perform in a concert at a Las Vegas casino as he was still recovering from throat surgery.

The singer is being sued by Harrah's Entertainment which wants the singer to return the $2m he was paid to perform at the concert.

The 60-year-old star called off the December 2000 show months after undergoing surgery for thyroid cancer.

"There was nothing there. No strength," he told the jury. He added: "I was petrified. I was scared. This was my livelihood."

Rod said his voice only recovered in time to begin a world concert tour in June 2001. He estimated he had since performed 150 shows and said he would be willing to play up to two makeup concerts at the Las Vegas venue if Harrah's would agree.

However, Harrah's chief executive said earlier this week that another performance date would not be as profitable for the casino.