#20 trendingThe Shires
The Shires' Final Tour for Now: Dates, Venues and What Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes Said About a Return
The news that British country duo The Shires are stepping away after 13 years kept spreading this week, and for many fans the practical question is now simple: where and when can they still see Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes on stage together?
The answer is a run of 13 U.K. shows in November, which the pair have called their final tour “for the foreseeable future.” Here is what is scheduled, and what the two have, and haven’t, said about what comes after.
A quick recap
The duo announced the break on Friday, Oct. 23, in a video and Instagram post, Wide Open Country reported. Rhodes said the decision was hers and that she wants to spend more time at home with her two young daughters. Earle said he supports it and that the two remain “very good friends.” Our earlier coverage has the full announcement and the reaction from fellow artists.
The Shires’ November 2026 tour dates
According to the listings site Ents24, the tour runs from Nov. 3 to Nov. 20:
| Date | City | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Tue., Nov. 3 | Glasgow | Royal Concert Hall |
| Thu., Nov. 5 | Gateshead | The Glasshouse International Centre for Music |
| Fri., Nov. 6 | York | York Barbican |
| Sun., Nov. 8 | Manchester | Bridgewater Hall |
| Mon., Nov. 9 | Birmingham | Symphony Hall |
| Wed., Nov. 11 | London | London Palladium |
| Thu., Nov. 12 | Brighton | Brighton Dome |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | Ipswich | Regent Theatre |
| Sun., Nov. 15 | Poole | Lighthouse |
| Mon., Nov. 16 | Swansea | Swansea Building Society Arena |
| Wed., Nov. 18 | Liverpool | Liverpool Philharmonic Hall |
| Thu., Nov. 19 | Bedford | Bedford Corn Exchange |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Bristol | Bristol Beacon |
Ents24 also lists Kaylee Bell alongside The Shires for the London Palladium date. Ticket availability varies by venue, so check the venue or official ticket seller before you travel. Schedules can change.
Is this a breakup?
Not in the way the word usually implies. The duo’s own statement frames it as “taking time away from The Shires,” not a permanent split, and both members left the door open.
“We’ll both be cheering each other on for whatever our next chapters hold and who knows, maybe one day we’ll be making music and touring again,” the statement said, as quoted by Wide Open Country. “But for now, this will be our final tour as The Shires for the foreseeable future.”
No return date or timeline has been given.
What each of them is doing next
- Crissie Rhodes: Taking a break from recording and touring to focus on family life. She has not announced any solo plans.
- Ben Earle: Staying in music. “I’ll still be doing music, doing radio as well,” he told fans, according to CountryMusic.co.uk, which noted his role presenting BBC Radio 2’s country music program.
Why the news landed so widely
The Shires are one of the best-known British country acts. CountryMusic.co.uk notes that their 2015 debut album, Brave, was the first by a U.K. country act to reach the Top 10 of the Official UK Albums Chart, and credits them with opening doors for other homegrown artists. U.S. outlets including American Songwriter and Wide Open Country picked up the story on Oct. 27, bringing it to many American country fans.
The tone of the tour, the duo said, will be celebratory. Rhodes promised “glittery outfits” for the band, and the statement said they “can’t wait to sing, dance and make some beautiful memories together.”
FAQ
When is The Shires’ last show?
The final listed date is Friday, Nov. 20, at Bristol Beacon.
Will The Shires tour the U.S.?
No U.S. dates have been announced; the listed tour is U.K.-only.
Are Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes still friends?
Yes. Earle said, “We haven’t fallen out. We’re still friends.”
Will they make music together again?
Possibly. They said “maybe one day,” but nothing is planned.
Earlier coverage: The Shires are taking a break after 13 years as Crissie Rhodes steps back for family and Ben Earle stays in music (Oct 27)