Sting has linked the rise of toxic masculinity to the collapse of Britain's industrial workforce, arguing that generations of men lost not only jobs but also identity, purpose and an outlet for physical labour. The singer's remarks arrive as his long-running musical 'The Last Ship' prepares for a major West End return this autumn.
Speaking ahead of the production's run at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Sting reflected on the social fallout of deindustrialisation in the north-east of England, where he grew up around the shipyards of Wallsend. The musician points out what happens when communities built on skilled labour are dismantled without replacement.
