George Ezra performs Isle of Wight headline slot sat down - after hurting ankle running before the gig

Pop golden boy George Ezra performed his headline slot at the Isle of Wight festival sat down - after rolling his ankle running before the gig.

The Shotgun singer took to social media to warn fans about the injury, and says he felt like ‘a complete numpty’ but insisted ‘the show must go on’.

Ezra tweeted: “Guess who went for a run yesterday and rolled their ankle? Guess who's headlining @IsleOfWightFest tonight? Guess who feels like a complete numpty? That's right ladies and gentlemen! The answer is, Geoff!! But THE SHOW MUST GO ON.”

Speaking to Absolute Radio’s Dave Berry before he was due to take to the main stage at the legendary festival last night (Saturday 15 June), Ezra said of the injury: “It’s about as rock and roll as you’d expect from George Ezra. I went for a jog yesterday morning, and rolled my ankle - I instantly knew something was wrong. My thought process was ‘ah that hurts a lot’ then ‘ah it’s the Isle of Wight tomorrow’.

“I’ve got a stool in place, honestly I can’t stand on it. There’s guitar-faces and there’s busted ankle guitar-faces - I’ve called on the band, I’ve said ‘extra energy tonight’.

Read more: George Ezra pays tribute to Bob Dylan’s Isle of Wight gig 50 years on

Ezra eventually took to the stage to a huge audience and pleased fans with renditions of self-styled ‘pop and roll’ hits from his two albums, including Paradise, Budapest and Cassy-O, charming the audience with intbetween-song chat, telling the audience: ‘I’m out of my head on anti-inflammatories’.

The singer also paid a tribute to his idol Bob Dylan, covering the folk legend’s Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright, before closing his set with a mass singalong to Shotgun and a huge fire work display.

Reviewing the set, The Independent’s Mark Beaumant said Ezra has the ability to ‘utterly charm you out of your wellies’. Beaumont said: “Yes, he’s as beige as they come, gently massaging an array of classic styles from blues spiritual to mariachi pop, rockabilly jive and country hoedown into safe, easily digestible lumps.

Read more: Isle of Wight festival review, day one: Noel Gallagher hits like a tornado at his most relevant set in years

“But he’s that rare thing: a jack of all trades who’s also mastered most.”

The Isle of Wight festival continues today, with Madness, Jess Glynne and Biffy Clyro closing the event.