Gladys Knight, 81, speaks out after son accuses her much-younger husband of elder abuse

Gladys Knight is assuring fans that she is fine after her eldest son, Shanga Hankerson, claimed the singer was facing elder abuse from her much-younger husband, William McDowell.

“I’m sorry that my health and performances have been misrepresented,” she told The Post in a statement.

“I want my fans and those concerned to rest assured I am doing very well for someone who has been on stage for three quarters of a century, hard to believe, right?” the “Midnight Train to Georgia” songstress, 81, said.

“I’m healthy and happy and visiting friends and family these last few months. I’m excited to get back on the road with my sisters and on stage with The Queens Tour. See you soon.”

Knight’s publicist, Laura Herlovich, also debunked the rumors, telling The Post that the legendary singer and her team are “greatly saddened by Shanga’s unfounded allegations, especially as he has had no substantial contact with her.”

“At this time our lawyers have no choice but to explore any and all legal remedies due to Shanga’s defamatory comments,” Herlovich added.

Knight’s statement came after Hankerson, 49, claimed that his mother was being subjected to elder abuse at the hands of McDowell.

In an interview with the Shade Room, Hankerson claimed McDowell is forcing his mother to tour despite her declining health.

“I did my best to give [McDowell] the space to play the role of husband and do what was in my mom’s best interest, and he has not done that,” he alleged.

“Why is she working? Why is she in this situation where she’s being made to believe that she has to work like this? That’s really my issue with it,” Hankerson said, adding that McDowell has allegedly been “mental[ly] and financial[ly]” abusive to Knight.

Hankerson then recalled a time when the “Every Beat of My Heart” singer “zoned out” while performing with her band.

“The band played about two or three extra bars. And she zoned out. The background singer started singing … and that brought her back,” Hankerson explained to the outlet.

“They’re having to rewind the teleprompters because my mom is forgetting to even look at them,” he added.

Shanga, whom Knight shares with music executive Barry Hankerson, claimed he filed a complaint with North Carolina’s Department of Human Services and that the case is ongoing.

Page Six has reached out to McDowell for comment but did not immediately hear back.

North Carolina’s Department of Human Services told Page Six, “Complaints are confidential. NCDHHS does not comment on investigations or possible investigations.”

Knight and McDowell, who is reportedly 33 years his wife’s junior, tied the knot in 2001.

The seven-time Grammy winner also shares daughter Kenya Newman, 62, and late son James Newman III with her first ex-husband, James Newman. (James III died in 1999 from heart failure. He was 36.)

Knight was also married to Shanga’s father, Barry, from 1974 to 1979; and former Ohio representative Les Brown, from 1995 to 1997.