Pete Doherty risks having toes amputated in battle with Type 2 Diabetes, rock star tells fans in health update
19 February 2025, 08:23
Pete Doherty is at risk of having his toes amputated as he battles with Type 2 diabetes, the musician has shared.
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The Libertines frontman, 45, was diagnosed with the chronic illness last year. The disease has forced him to perform from a chair on the last five dates of his latest European tour, sparking concerns from worried fans.
Now, the indie pop star has issued a fresh health update to supporters at a gig in Munich, Germany.
He told the crowd in the video obtain by The Sun: “I saw the doctor today and he said you need to stay off your feet as much as you can otherwise you’ll lose your toes.”
Doherty had previously been seen wearing slippers or socks on stage.
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But the star has since been seen in strip-fastener orthopaedic shoes, pictures have revealed. At another gig, Doherty’s bandmate was seen helping him off stage at another show in Cologne.
He was also spotted using a walking stick at a gallery launch in Berlin earlier this month. The singer first shared information about his diabetes battle last year.
The former heroin addict told Guardian's Saturday magazine, he shared: "I gave up the main poisons and my health improved. "Then you get told alcohol and cheese and sugar are just as bad and you were healthier when you were on heroin.”
Doherty described himself as "a bit of a glutton”, adding that “It's not a joke, I’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and at the moment I'm lacking the discipline to tackle cholesterol.”
The singer is said to have been sober since 2019 but his health issues have persisted. Doherty gave up hard drugs several years ago, but has said that he did not think that he would live very long, due to his previous lifestyle.
He told the Evening Standard: “I have seen a liver doctor who says I need to change my diet — too much cheese, too much milk.
"But the cheese is so good, that’s part of the reason I stay here… It’s a cholesterol and diabetes thing now, but there are tablets, it makes a big difference."
Doherty is married to Katia de Vidas, with whom he performs in the band Puta Madres. They have a daughter together, and Doherty also has two children from previous relationships.
The Libertines released their fourth studio album, All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade, on March 29, 2024, their first studio released in nine years.