Sam Fender ‘taking some time off the road’ to look after his mental health

Sam Fender has revealed he is "taking some time off the road" to look after his mental health.

The Newcastle-based rocker said it would be "completely hypocritical of me" to advocate for discussion on the topic without looking after his own mental wellbeing.

In a post on social media he apologised to fans and said he would be cancelling upcoming headline shows in the US, shows with Florence + The Machines and his appearance at the Life Is Beautiful Festival.

"I've neglected myself for over a year now and haven't dealt with things that have deeply affected me," the musician wrote. "It's impossible to do this work on myself while on the road, and it's exhausting feigning happiness and wellness for the sake of business.

"My friends and colleagues have been worried about me for a while and it's not going to get better unless I take the time to do so."

He added: "Me and the boys are burnt out and we need this time. Thank you for always sticking by us."

He added that he is “excited’” to head to Australia in late November, as well as for ‘everything to come in 2023’”.

He added: “‘I can’t express how grateful we are to have such an awesome fan base. I’ve met a fair few of you over the years and those encounters have genuinely restored my faith in humanity. You’re all sound as f**k”.

The musician was met with a lot of support from his fans after the Instagram post.