DEF LEPPARD's JOE ELLIOTT On 2026 UK Tour/Taylor Swift (Photos/Transcript)

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Tuesday, 9th September 2025

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Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott was recently interviewed on UK breakfast TV with transcript and photo gallery available.

Joe followed up the Radio 2 In The Park show by getting up early for breakfast TV.

ITV Morning Show

Joe appeared for a short five minute interview yesterday morning on breakfast TV in the UK and this time on ITV and not the BBC.

Although they did show clips from the Chelmsford show on screen which Joe briefly talked about as well as Taylor Swift, the UK tour, the Las Vegas Residency... and his trousers.

Live 2026 UK Tour

The Live 2026 UK/European Tour was announced last week and takes place in June/July/August 2026.

Joe briefly mentioned it after talking about Chelmsford.

The Las Vegas Residency

The Las Vegas Residency was announced in July and takes place in February 2026.

And Joe talked about how the fans will come to see them and he gets to stay in the same bed each night.

Taylor Swift Story

Joe was also asked about his ongoing friendship with Taylor Swift and revealed he attended one of her three Dublin shows in 2024 (played from 28th to 30th June).

Surprising his now nine year old daughter who did not know she would be meeting Taylor backstage.

He also recalled the CMT Crossroads show and agreed Def Leppard could play Taylor's wedding if asked.

Joe was also visibly relieved not to be asked to present the weather report at the end.

Read the full transcript of the interview below and view a photo gallery.

Visit the Tour News section. For more news on future tour plans.

Visit the Album News section for more news on new music (based on band member quotes).

Joe Elliot on ITV 2025 Fan Photos

Screenshots by dltourhistory.

Joe Elliott 8th September 2025 Interview Transcript - (Transcribed by dltourhistory)

I was at ABBA Voyage. He was texting me, watching series six of Downton Abbey, and you were gigging.

This could go either way.

I was having an early night.

You were having an early night.

That's how rock and roll it was in South London.

How are you feeling?

I'm happily running on vapour - like all of us.

We didn't get back from Chelmsford until about 2 a.m., and I think I hit the pillow about three.

Just as we were getting up.

Those days are long gone, mate.

Going on stage is my nightclub.

Right.

We were chatting backstage and Joe said, not that you don't enjoy it, but it's when you come off — that's when you enjoy it.

Especially when you're doing it live on TV or on the radio.

It's kind of like scoring a goal against Man United in the first five minutes, and you've got to hang on until full-time to be able to go, "Woo-hoo!"

That's what it's like when you're live on the radio — get away with it.

The crowd was fantastic, and it was our solitary gig this year in the UK.

But next year is going to be massive.

Yeah, next year we've got a full tour — next June and July.

Proper arenas.

And hitting Vegas as well?

Yeah, we've got a residency in February in Vegas, which is always wonderful because it's 30 nights in the same bed, and the fans come to visit us instead of the other way around.

What's the audience like in Vegas?

Well, they travel to us — because there's not many people from Vegas who go to the show.

So it's different every night.

Tell us the story of your friendship with Taylor Swift.

Well, we first met Taylor in 2008 when somebody suggested that we play together.

They'd read an article where she said the only band she would ever work with for this show called Crossroads, where they have an oil-and-water combination of two artists that shouldn't work — and she said she wanted to do it with us.

And the reason...?

We just made contact with each other.

What was the reason?...Because her mum was a massive fan.

Yeah, her mum is still a big Leppard fan, and I guess when she was pregnant with Taylor, she was absorbing us through her tummy, and Taylor was born to our music.

Taylor would have been how old then?

About 17, 18?

She was 17 years old, yeah.

And we worked with her for a week.

We had like four days' rehearsals, shot a couple of shows, and they put it out on the country channel over there.

It was great.

She got to sing some of her songs from a man's perspective, and she got to sing some of ours.

And you're still in radio contact obviously?

Yeah, last summer she did the tour around the UK and Ireland, and I went to see her in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, and she met my daughter — who didn't know...

We snuck her into the venue not knowing who she was going to see.

And then when the curtain got pulled and she saw her, you know, it was the first time since she'd been born that she was speechless.

And your daughter's how old?

Nine.

And she's a massive Swiftie?

Oh yeah, huge, yeah.

So it's come full circle.

Yeah, totally. It was a great night.

Did you congratulate her on her engagement?

Well, it hadn't happened at the time.

No, but I wondered since?

Since, yeah.

Well, we do these kind of TikTok things at the gigs, and I do what they call a cup toss.

It's a little Dixie cup — little shot of Jameson’s — and I do it before we go on.

And I never get a ten.

Ten’s up, five is this, and sideways is nothing.

Well, I congratulated, and I got a ten.

So that was a good homage.

Would you play at the wedding?

Because Susanna’s very invested in this wedding, of course, and we know so little about it.

I've never thought about that.

Yeah, we could be Taylor's wedding band.

Yeah.

I mean, we've done worse.

I don't mind that if you're playing the evening, but I only want to go to the... you know, I need to go to the main event and not just the evening because I just think we should all be there at the actual ceremony too.

Well, they'd have to open a football stadium, wouldn't they?

Very quickly — tribute paid to Ozzy Osbourne at the VMAs across the pond last night.

Very moving indeed.

He very much took you under his wing, didn't he?

Yeah, yeah. I briefly saw that this morning when we were driving in, and it was a great tribute to him, I've got to say.

We toured with Ozzy in 1981, and I've got to say, he and Sharon were just brilliant.

We got full lights, full sound checks.

We got all the stage.

They didn't try and mess us around.

They were very nurturing.

And so, you know, we've always been grateful for that support we got from them.

Excellent stuff.>

>Well, Joe, we're thrilled that you came in this morning as well, especially fresh off the back of that gig.

I don't know how you guys do it.

Mainlining espresso.

Yeah, yeah.

That's what we do.

You must try that.

Right, indeed.

Maybe a little something stronger.

You can catch Def Leppard next year on the UK leg of the mammoth World Tour.

Great to see you.

Big week — National TV Awards, of course, this week.

We can reveal that the NTA’s Special Recognition Award winner is Wallace and Gromit.

I'll be live from behind the scenes later this week.

Congratulations.

Plus, we have all the action from the red carpet.

I know that sounds like a random segue, but we had to shoehorn it in, Joe.

Beautiful. Thank you very much indeed.

Who doesn't love a bit of Wallace and Gromit?

Who doesn't?

Yeah, absolutely. Congratulations.

The Wrong Trousers — hat I'm actually technically wearing right now.

I left my fancy ones at the gig.

Oh, it's fantastic to see you.

Thank you so much.

That's actually a true story.

And another cracking segue.

Indeed. Thank you very much indeed.

Joe, have you ever harboured an ambition to do the weather forecast?

Not particularly no.

Okay well, we won't invite you to go over to the weather part of the studio, and we will leave Laura to do it herself, and you can stay there.

Thank goodness for that.

There we go. That will be a relief.

Morning, Laura.

Watch the full interview @ itv.com

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Previous News - 8th September 2025
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