Queen drummer Roger Taylor set to tour solo for first time in 20 years

ITV News Arts Editor Nina Nannar sat down with Roger Taylor to hear more about his plans for the tour

Queen drummer Roger Taylor will embark on a solo tour for the first time in two decades.

Lockdown restrictions halted the rock group Queen's world tour, which is fronted by American singer Adam Lambert with original band guitarist Brian May, until next year but drummer Roger Taylor could not wait to get back out on the road.

He will set off on his own tour from October 2 but will play in intimate venues with some new music as well as the old hits.

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Taylor told ITV News: "I thought well, you know, tick tock, time is wasting!

"I might not be able to do it again in a solo capacity, although I have a great band, so I thought this will be the last time I do it solo.

"But Brian [May] and I intend to continue with Queen as long as we can do it properly."

Earlier this month the band's frontman Freddie Mercury would have marked his 75the birthday - with the 30th anniversary of his death in just a couple of months.

Taylor thinks of his dear friend everyday, and even has a statue of him in his garden.

He said: "I have an enormous statue of him in my garden, they took it from the theatre in London.

"It's nice to have him there and of course we think about him everyday. He's just part of our fabric."

At 72, Taylor is struggling slightly with arthritis, but not enough to stop the drumming altogether.

He said: "The hands are just about there! They're hanging on."