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Elton John hospitalised after fall

<p>Elton John has been hospitalised after suffering a fall at his luxury French villa just outside of Nice on Sunday. </p> <p>The Rocket Man singer, 76, stayed overnight at the Princess Grace Hospital in Monaco after "slipping" in his home, as a precautionary measure. </p> <p>The star has since recovered and is back at home after the incident. </p> <p>"Elton visited the local hospital as a precautionary measure," a representative for the icon told <em>People</em> magazine. </p> <p>"Following check ups, he was immediately discharged this morning and is now back at home and in good health."</p> <p>This comes almost two years after the icon revealed he had a hip replacement surgery in November 2021. </p> <p>"I've had a hip replacement, but I'm full of beans and I'm full of zest. But this is just a prompter to say 'come on you've got more to do now,'" he told the <em>Evening Standard</em> at the time. </p> <p>"I may not look as if I'm 100 per cent fit – but I'm not quite – but I'm still raring to go and I've got a lot more work to do as far as my life goes. So this is just a reminder that there's more to do."</p> <p>He recently ended his <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/elton-john-s-final-message-to-crowd-at-last-concert-ever" target="_blank" rel="noopener">final tour</a> in Stockholm, Sweden with a touching message after 52 years of performing. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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"One of the greats": Elton John's stirring tribute to Michael Parkinson

<p>The entertainment world has been cast into a somber veil of mourning as it bids farewell to the iconic Michael Parkinson, the legendary interviewer who has left us at the age of 88.</p> <p>Elton John, David Attenborough, Michael Caine, Eric Idle ...the long list of luminaries who have joined the chorus of heartfelt tributes to the "TV titan" and the undisputed "king of the chat show" seems limitless.</p> <p>The poignant words of Oscar-winning Michael Caine resonate with a sense of irreparable loss: “Michael Parkinson was irreplaceable," he wrote. "He was charming, always wanted to have a good laugh. He brought the best of everyone he met. Always looked forward to be interviewed by him.”</p> <p>David Attenborough's reflection on his interactions with the man affectionately known as "Parky" evokes a sense of melancholic nostalgia: “He was extremely generous, he wanted you to shine and would always laugh at your jokes and give you an opportunity to make them sound funnier than in fact they were. It was always friendly, it was always thorough, it was always intelligent, it was always a pleasure to do it and I think that came over no matter who his interviewee was.”</p> <p>Elton John said Parkinson was “a TV legend who was one of the greats. I loved his company and his incredible knowledge of cricket and Barnsley Football Club. A real icon who brought out the very best in his guests. Condolences and love to Mary and his family."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwC4JoBMmKq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwC4JoBMmKq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The reminiscences continue, with Stephen Fry's words dripping with a bittersweet tone, saying that being interviewed by Parkinson was an experience of impossibly intense thrill.</p> <p>“The genius of Parky was that (unlike most people (and most of his guests, me included) he was always 100 per cent himself. On camera and off. ‘Authentic’ is the word I suppose,” he wrote. “For one of the shows I was on with Robin Williams, a genius of unimaginable comic speed and brilliance. Now they’re both gone.</p> <p>“One should get used to the parade of people constantly falling off the edge, but frankly one doesn’t. So long #parky.”</p> <p>The poignant announcement of the loss came from Parkinson's family. “After a brief illness Sir Michael Parkinson passed away peacefully at home last night in the company of his family,” the statement read.</p> <p>“The family request that they are given privacy and time to grieve.”</p> <p>The memories flood in as the recollection of Parkinson's rise to prominence in the 1970s fills the air with a sense of wistfulness. His list of more than 2000 interviewees includes luminaries such as Sir Billy Connolly, Muhammad Ali, Prince Philip, Sir Elton John, Madonna, and Paul McCartney.</p> <p>Four-time guest Muhammad Ali's absence echoes through time as Parkinson's voice emerges: “When people ask me who I most enjoyed interviewing, I’m unable to give them an answer”, Parkinson once said in an interview. “If they ask me who was the most remarkable man I ever met, I answer without hesitation – Muhammad Ali. I interviewed him four times – I lost on every occasion.”</p> <p>These titanic verbal sparring matches stand as poignant testimonies of the show's indelible legacy, underscoring their magnetic effect on millions of viewers.</p> <p>Among the program's other poignant moments, the chaos induced by Rod Hull's puppet Emu assaulting Parkinson on his own talk show couch remains etched in memory. Parkinson jestingly admitted that his career would forever be epitomised by "that bloody bird".</p> <p><em>Images: Getty / BBC 1</em></p>

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Elton John's final message to crowd at last concert ever

<p dir="ltr">Elton John has officially retired from touring.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 76-year-old award-winning musician took to the stage for the last time ever in Stockholm, Sweden, <a href="https://www.eltonjohn.com/tours" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to his website</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Elton had reportedly ended his touring days with <em>Your Song</em> and <em>Goodbye Yellow Brick Road</em>, before sharing a heartfelt message to his fans.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I've had the most wonderful career, beyond belief. 52 years of pure joy playing music, how lucky am I to play music? But I wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't for you," the music legend told his fans as he closed what he claimed to be his final show.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You bought the singles, albums and CDs and more importantly you bought the tickets to the shows and you know how I love to play live."</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's been my lifeblood to play for you guys and you've been absolutely magnificent – thank you," he added.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I will never forget you guys. I've played so many concerts, how could I forget? You're in my head, and my heart and my soul and I thank you so much."</p> <p dir="ltr">The singer also took to Instagram prior to his final show to share the announcement.</p> <p dir="ltr">"What a journey this tour has been and now we find ourselves at the end of it. Tonight is the final night,” he wrote in the caption.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CucC7nWAQ8K/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CucC7nWAQ8K/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">He posted a clip of a 2018 interview he did with CNN, when he first announced that he was going to retire from touring.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's the last time that I will be touring and traveling the world," John said in the clip.</p> <p dir="ltr">The tour, which had over 300 shows, kicked off in 2018 and was meant to end in 2021 but was postponed due to Covid, and has since been attended by over 6 million fans across the world.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Music

Why do musicians like Elton John find retirement so tough? A music psychology expert explains

<p>With his <a href="https://www.eltonjohn.com/stories/farewell-yellow-brick-road">Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour</a>, Elton John confirmed his latest plans for retirement. The final show of the tour in July 2023 will be his last. However, deja vu suggests this might not be the last we see of Elton.</p> <p>The singer has announced plans to retire <a href="https://www.musictimes.com/articles/8902/20140817/elton-john-career-false-retirements-brief-chronological-look.htm">at least five times</a> since 1984 but is still going strong. By the end of his current tour, Elton John will have performed in over 300 concerts in the UK, the US and Europe and he shows no sign of slowing down. He’ll perform a <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/elton-john-final-uk-show-glastonbury-festival-1235180982/">headline slot at Glastonbury</a> in 2023.</p> <p>Elton is not the only performer with a history of retiring and unretiring. He is in good company with <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=113477&page=1">Barbra Streisand</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/justinbieber/status/415683404462436352?lang=en">Justin Bieber</a>, <a href="https://www.revolt.tv/article/2022-07-14/180311/jay-z-explains-2003-retirement-i-thought-i-was-burned-out/">Jay-Z</a>, <a href="https://www.nme.com/news/music/lily-allen-hints-she-may-not-retire-just-yet-after-olivia-rodrigo-glastonbury-performance-3258600">Lily Allen</a> and <a href="https://ultimateclassicrock.com/phil-collins-retired/">Phil Collins</a>. </p> <p>Hip-hop star <a href="https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2022/02/04/Nicki-Minaj-returns-music-new-single-Do-We-Have-Problem/9811643982091/">Nicki Minaj’s</a> retirement lasted for only 22 days, while heavy metal singer <a href="https://ultimateclassicrock.com/ozzy-osbourne-retirement-1992/">Ozzy Osbourne’s</a> valedictory No More Tours tour in 1992 preceded a further 30 years of performance.</p> <p>In contrast with handsomely rewarded performances on the global stage, retirement can be an intermittent pipe dream for many musicians. Long, unsociable hours in the music industry often offer modest remuneration and few of the perks available in other sectors. </p> <p>There is <a href="https://www.gov.uk/working-retirement-pension-age">no compulsory retirement age</a> in the UK, which can be a godsend for lower paid professional performers who find that saving for an adequate pension is beyond their means. In these cases, working <a href="https://theconversation.com/ageing-activism-why-we-need-to-give-voice-to-the-new-third-age-50305">beyond the third age</a> is a necessity.</p> <p>For Elton and his internationally acclaimed peers, however, the incentive to return to performing is less likely to be financial. So why do some successful musicians find it so hard to stick to retirement?</p> <h2>The motivation of the stage</h2> <p>The key to understanding this lies in motivation. </p> <p>For many musicians, the motivation to perform is intrinsic rather than extrinsic. Extrinsically motivated performers are interested in tangible rewards such as money. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0305735617721637">Intrinsic motivation</a> meanwhile, is present when a musician performs mainly because of a strong inner desire to make music.</p> <p>For intrinsically motivated performers, making music is inherently pleasurable and a means unto itself. This partly explains why the music profession remains attractive even if it does not always bring the financial security of other careers. It also explains why some celebrated performers find it difficult to stay out of the public arena.</p> <p>Among those with a passion for music, the rewards of performance often exceed the financial benefits. The status and accolades derived from a celebrated performance career provide a source of affirmation which can become difficult to obtain elsewhere. </p> <p>Once human beings have fulfilled their basic needs of food, water, shelter and relationships, <a href="http://eznow7jgmenpjz.pic3.eznetonline.com/upload/MASLOW_YQfG.pdf">self-actualisation</a> becomes a significant driving force. For dedicated performers, achievement in the musical sphere can become an irreplaceable vehicle for attaining self esteem, personal growth and the satisfaction of fulfilling their potential.</p> <h2>You’re only as good as your last performance</h2> <p>Identity is also a central component in the motivation to perform. Continuing to perform professionally <a href="https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/download/fbc3b0a7fd80bcb648344f9d298414ece784f56ff9018d267fd77a7fce70a980/519636/Gross%20%26%20Musgrave%20%282017%29%20Can%20Muic%20Make%20You%20Sick%20Pt2.pdf">can provide validation</a> for musicians, regardless of the level of income and recognition.</p> <p>For many, being a musician is inextricably linked with their sense of self. Their self worth is then strongly affected by their capacity to perform. This is especially true for singers, as voice is an integral part of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jane-Oakland/publication/258173213_Re-defining_'Me'_Exploring_career_transition_and_the_experience_of_loss_in_the_context_of_redundancy_for_professional_opera_choristers/links/00b7d52d6675946763000000/Re-defining-Me-Exploring-career-transition-and-the-experience-of-loss-in-the-context-of-redundancy-for-professional-opera-choristers.pdf">identity formation and expression</a>.</p> <p>There is some truth in the old saying; “You’re only as good as your last performance.” If you’re not performing at all, how good can you be? </p> <p>For retired musicians, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jane-Oakland/publication/280067238_AGEING_AND_RETIREMENT_TOWARDS_AN_UNDERSTANDING_OF_THE_EXPERIENCES_OF_SYMPHONY_MUSICIANS_AS_THEY_APPROACH_RETIREMENT/links/55a640e008aee8aaa765644b/AGEING-AND-RETIREMENT-TOWARDS-AN-UNDERSTANDING-OF-THE-EXPERIENCES-OF-SYMPHONY-MUSICIANS-AS-THEY-APPROACH-RETIREMENT.pdf">it can be challenging</a> to find a comparable way to channel the energy they once dedicated to performance.</p> <p>Musicians, like other professional groups, are diverse in many ways, but there are some personality traits different types of musicians tend to share. </p> <p>For example, classical musicians typically score highly on introversion, which partly accounts for <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/03057356810090010201">their ability to focus</a> on the solitary practice necessary for developing technique before engaging in ensemble playing.</p> <p>In contrast, rock and pop musicians tend to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epdf/10.1177/0305735694222006">score highly</a> on extroversion, often learning and rehearsing more informally in collaboration with their peers. Extroverted performers often derive their energy from audience interaction so it can be difficult to achieve that “buzz” once the music stops.</p> <h2>Don’t stop me now</h2> <p>Performing music is <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00906/full">widely recognised</a> as a way of achieving the highly desired state of “flow”, otherwise known as “peak performance” or being “in the zone”.</p> <p>Providing that the challenge of performing closely matches the skill level of the performer, <a href="https://nuovoeutile.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/2002-Flow.pdf">music can become an all-absorbing activity</a>, which is so immersive that it distorts our sense of time and distracts us from our everyday concerns. During live concerts, the audience and performers can experience a sense of <a href="https://sociologicalscience.com/download/vol-6/january/SocSci_v6_27to42.pdf">“collective effervescence”</a> rarely achieved elsewhere.</p> <p>Add in the emotional high derived from the adrenaline released in public performance and we can begin to understand why the rewards of performance can be difficult to replace in retirement.</p> <p>Rihanna’s <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd8jh9QYfEs">Don’t Stop the Music</a></em>, Queen’s <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgzGwKwLmgM">Don’t Stop Me Now</a></em> and Elton’s <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHwVBirqD2s">I’m Still Standing</a></em> are these musicians ways of telling us that they want to be in the limelight, just as much as their audiences want them to stay there.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-musicians-like-elton-john-find-retirement-so-tough-a-music-psychology-expert-explains-197362" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Music

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle share a special message with Sir Elton John

<p dir="ltr">Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have shared a personal message with Sir Elton John.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ahead of his farewell concert at the Dodgers Stadium, both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were featured in a compilation video showing stars paying tribute to Sir Elton ahead of the gig that aired live on Disney+.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the clip, Prince Harry said: “Thank you for being the friend that you were to my mum. Thank you for being our friend, thank you for being a friend to our kids and thank you for entertaining people right around the world.</p> <p dir="ltr">Even though this is officially your retirement, this will not be your last gig and we know that. We love you and congratulations on your incredible career.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The clip finished with Meghan placing her head on Harry's chest and blowing a kiss to the camera.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Duke and Suchess of Sussex have grown close with the singer in more recent years, Harry having known Sir Elton John his whole life, through the singer’s close friendship with Princess Diana.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: YouTube</em></p>

Music

Elton John's glamorous new digs

<p dir="ltr">Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish have set their sights on their new home: a yet-to-be-completed penthouse in Toronto.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a recent interview with <em>Globe and Mail</em>, the couple revealed that they had bought one of the bespoke penthouses in the King Toronto complex.</p> <p dir="ltr">The music icon and filmmaker have chosen an apartment called the “Treehouse”, as reported by <em><a href="https://storeys.com/a-condo-in-the-wind-inside-elton-john-new-toronto-penthouse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Storeys</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Designed by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, the complex includes six penthouses that are described as like “living on a mountaintop”, according to developer Westbank. </p> <p dir="ltr">While they are all custom-designed, all of the penthouses share a natural theme integrated using trees, foliage, and outdoor terraces - with the Treehouse even boasting an actual tree.</p> <p dir="ltr">The new two-storey home of the Rocket Man singer will also feature four terraces, an inner courtyard, and an interior that will include a wine cellar and curved sculptural staircase.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It has great views over the west and south,” says Riz Dhanji, president at Rad Marketing, who represents Westbank.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It has a unique tree in the middle of the unit as part of an artistic factor, a custom brass kitchen designed by Bjarke Ingels, and a stunning brass curved staircase that’s custom designed. The hardwood flooring is custom designed to mimic the exterior expression of the penthouse itself.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The unique designs aren’t exclusive to the penthouses either, with the complex exterior designed to have a LEGO-like look that resembles a stack of light-filled boxes and which is expected to be completed by September next year.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1d5dcb59-7fff-18f8-e417-b58eeffc7431"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @eltonjohn (Instagram), Westbank</em></p>

Real Estate

Prince Harry, Elizabeth Hurley and Elton John suing Daily Mail

<p>Prince Harry, Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley are leading a charge of celebrities and other individuals who have launched legal action against the publisher of the British Daily Mail newspaper over alleged phone-tapping and other breaches of privacy.</p> <p>The group includes the actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost, Elton John’s partner and filmmaker David Furnish, and Doreen Lawrence, the mother of Black teenager Stephen Lawrence who was murdered in a racist attack in 1993.</p> <p>The individuals are aware of evidence pointing to breaches of privacy by Associated Newspapers, who publish the Daily Mail newspaper, Mail on Sunday and Mail online.</p> <p>The evidence gathered includes recovered listening devices that were placed inside people’s cars and homes as well as commissioning the bugging of live, private telephone calls, law firm Hamlins said in a statement.</p> <p>Prince Harry is just one of the celebrities in question who have a turbulent past with the British tabloids, with Harry and Meghan previously saying they would have “zero engagement” with four major British papers, including the Daily Mail, accusing them of false and invasive coverage.</p> <p>The couple also cited media intrusion as a major factor in their decision to step down from royal duties and move to the United States.</p> <p>Associated Newspapers have refuted any and all allegations against illegal phone-tapping, as a spokesperson said the publisher “utterly and unambiguously” refuted the “preposterous smears”.</p> <p>They said, “These unsubstantiated and highly defamatory claims - based on no credible evidence - appear to be simply a fishing expedition by claimants and their lawyers.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

Outpouring of love for Princess Diana

<p>Princess Diana has been remembered on the 25th anniversary of her tragic death.</p> <p>The People’s Princess died following a horrific car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997.</p> <p>Fans and family have taken to social media to remember Princess Diana, with her brother Earl Charles Spencer uploading a photo of Althorp House — the family's ancestral home and where Diana was laid to rest — with a flag flying at half mast.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch6klebM3Wl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch6klebM3Wl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Charles Spencer (@charles.earl.spencer)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>There was no caption with the image as the family close the house to the public, which is usually open for a month in the summer holidays, to mourn Princess Diana’s death privately.</p> <p>Both her children, Prince William and Prince Harry, will also be remembering their mother with family.</p> <p>The Duke of Sussex also revealed that he speaks regularly to his children Archie and Lilibet about their grandmother.</p> <p>It comes as singer Elton John also shared an incredible throwback photo of him with Princess Diana.</p> <p>"You will always be missed," the caption read.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch7SZDljxUg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch7SZDljxUg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>UK journalist and TV personality Piers Morgan shared a photo of the front page of the newspaper following the news of Princess Diana’s death.</p> <p>It showed Princess Diana in a stunning dress with her birth date and death date on the cover.</p> <p>“25yrs ago today, the world’s biggest star died in a car crash,” his caption read.</p> <p>“She was so famous I didn’t even need to put her name on the Daily Mirror front page about the tragedy.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">25yrs ago today, the world’s biggest star died in a car crash. She was so famous I didn’t even need to put her name on the Daily Mirror front page about the tragedy. Everyone knew Princess Diana & this Demarchelier photo epitomised her radiant beauty & superstar quality. RIP. <a href="https://t.co/n4d1VFxSJB">pic.twitter.com/n4d1VFxSJB</a></p> <p>— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) <a href="https://twitter.com/piersmorgan/status/1564885665896177667?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>“Everyone knew Princess Diana & this Demarchelier photo epitomised her radiant beauty & superstar quality. RIP.”</p> <p>Commuters were also gifted with quotes from the Princess while other fans arrived at the palace to offer their condolences.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">On this day 25 years ago the world lost Princess Diana.<br />She will be forever loved, always missed and never forgotten.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrincessDiana?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrincessDiana</a> <a href="https://t.co/bzquf6OHAU">pic.twitter.com/bzquf6OHAU</a></p> <p>— All On The Board (@allontheboard) <a href="https://twitter.com/allontheboard/status/1564896120622522369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Britney Spears makes musical comeback with Elton John

<p dir="ltr">Britney Spears is set to make her long-awaited return to the music scene by collaborating with Elton John on a new song. </p> <p dir="ltr">While rumours of the collaborations have been circulating for several weeks, a spokesperson confirmed the news to the PA news agency earlier this week.</p> <p dir="ltr">Britney and Elton’s collaboration project will be a track titled <em>Hold Me Closer</em>, which is rumoured to be an updated version of John’s 1971 single <em>Tiny Dancer</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Elton hinted at the collaboration on Instagram as he posted an image of a rose and rocket emoji alongside the title of the song. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChAf5zxj2y2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChAf5zxj2y2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The return to the music industry for Britney comes as she continues to battle her father, Jamie Spears, in court over alleged misconduct during her conservatorship of nearly 14 years which controlled aspects of her finances and personal life.</p> <p dir="ltr">Spears' conservatorship was set up in 2008 after the US pop star, known for hits like <em>Oops I Did It Again!</em> and <em>Toxic</em>, faced a public mental health crisis. </p> <p dir="ltr">For Elton, the highly-anticipated news of the collaboration track comes as he continues his global Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram</em></p>

Music

Elton John brings new farewell shows to Australia and New Zealand

<p dir="ltr">Music fans in Australia and New Zealand are in for a treat!</p> <p dir="ltr">Elton John has announced he will be stopping at both countries once more during his final music tour before his retirement. </p> <p dir="ltr">The music legend made the announcement on Wednesday, saying he is adding encore shows to his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In 2020 I promised that when I came back to finish my interrupted farewell, I’d perform some encore shows. I love your part of the world dearly and cannot wait to share these concerts with you!” he captioned the video shared to social media. </p> <p dir="ltr">Elton will be playing four shows in Australia in January 2023 in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and – for the first time ever – Newcastle.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Hello Australia, Kia Ora New Zealand! I am so excited to share my very last Yellow Brick Road Farewell tours with you in January 2023. I cannot believe it will be three whole years since I last visited,” the musician said in the video.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CgNNveWDW-O/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CgNNveWDW-O/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“A huge thank you to Auckland for keeping their tickets to the rescheduled shows for so long. I promised back in 2020 that when we returned we would take the opportunity to play a few encore shows. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I know the last tickets sold fast and I wanted to be able to say farewell to you all. And Newcastle, I’m finally coming your way for my first Newcastle show ever!”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Join me for a night of memories, singalongs, and a fond farewell.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Check out the tour dates below. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Newcastle:</strong> January 10th 2023, at McDonald Jones Stadium</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Melbourne:</strong> January 13th 2023, at AAMI Park</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Sydney:</strong> January 18th 2023, at Allianz Stadium</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Brisbane:</strong> January 21st 2023, at Suncorp Stadium</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Christchurch, NZ:</strong> January 24th 2023, Orangetheory Stadium</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Auckland, NZ:</strong> January 27th and 28th 2023, Mt Smart Stadium</p> <p dir="ltr">Tickets go on sale on Monday August 1st, with pre-sale tickets also available on the <a href="https://oznz.eltonjohn.com/">official ticket website</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em><span id="docs-internal-guid-f345a37c-7fff-cfb8-5e9c-39132ed159df"></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-f345a37c-7fff-cfb8-5e9c-39132ed159df"></p> <p></span></p>

Music

Sir Elton John responds to images of him in wheelchair

<p>Elton John has insisted that he's fine after pictures surfaced of him in a wheelchair during his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour earlier this week.</p> <p>The 75-year-old music legend assured fans via Instagram that he was in "top health," explaining how his team offered to push him in a wheelchair following their arrival at Leipzig Airport, Germany, and another long show ahead.</p> <p>"I want to thank all my fans for reaching out to ask about my health, after the tabloids ran a silly story about my 'looking frail" in a wheelchair," his post began.</p> <p>"The true story is that I'm in top health, loving my shows and playing and singing at my very best. I give 100% every night and never want to disappoint, especially after everyone has waited so long to get back to seeing shows. Your response to every show has been phenomenal and I'm loving every minute of it."</p> <p>John went on to explain that upon their arrival at the airport, part of it was closed, meaning that "it was an extremely long walk" for the singer "to get to the plane."</p> <p>"Last night was another blockbuster show in Bern and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at this weekend's sold-out show in Milan. Thanks for all your kind words of support!" he concluded his post.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CeTOUmIjanf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CeTOUmIjanf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Photos of the Rocketman hitmaker surfaced on Thursday of John being pushed by one of his team members at the airport. Several outlets reported that the performer "looked frail" and "fragile" as he stepped out with his crew.</p> <p>In November 2021, John discussed his recent hip injury publicly. He explained that he was forced to postpone some dates on his tour but has since had surgery.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Caring

"It would've cracked him in the head!" Ed Sheeran's near miss with Elton John

<p dir="ltr">Ed Sheeran has revealed the near miss he had with his friend Elton John while they were shooting the music video for their joint song<span> </span><em>Merry Christmas</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Appearing on Apple Music’s<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPbqSs6Bwt8" target="_blank"><em>Zane Lowe Show</em></a>, Sheeran recalled how he “almost killed” John with a heavy bell while the pair were filming.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh, mate. I almost killed him with a bell on the video,” Sheeran <a rel="noopener" href="https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/ed-sheeran-almost-killed-elton-john-filming-christmas-music-video/fdebb07d-ae6e-4b98-8099-cef46d9fd017" target="_blank">said</a> during the interview.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m dressed up as sort of sexy Santa Claus and I kick a present, but the present had a big metal bell on top of it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I showed him the footage of it today because we slowed it down and the bell flew past his head and would’ve cracked him in the head.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh my God, the horror that went through my body when it was flying through the air.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CXJlwiXDfYi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CXJlwiXDfYi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The<span> </span><em>I’m Still Standin’<span> </span></em>singer also shared the clip on his social media account, with the caption, “Better luck next time, @teddysphotos 😂”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The festive video sees Sheen, 30, and John, 74, parody several famous Christmsa music videos, including Mariah Carey’s<span> </span><em>All I Want for Christmas is You</em><span> </span>and Wham!’s<span> </span><em>Last Christmas</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since its release last week,<span> </span><em>Merry Christmas</em><span> </span>has topped the UK Big Top 40 list, marking John’s third Big Top 40 number one track this year.</p> <p dir="ltr">It is also the third holiday song Sheeran and John have written together.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @teddysphotos (Instagram)</em></p>

Music

Elton John and Ed Sheeran join forces for Christmas

<p dir="ltr">Ed Sheeran and Elton John have announced their new Christmas collaboration, a song that will be released on Friday titled “Merry Christmas”.</p> <p dir="ltr">They announced the collaboration in an adorable,<span> </span><em>Love Actually</em>-themed video, featuring Ed appearing at Elton’s door, much like Andrew Lincoln’s character does to Keira Knightley in the 2003 Christmas classic. Elton, dressed in his festive best, opens the door to Ed dressed in a Christmas jumper and bearing note cards that contain an important message.</p> <p dir="ltr">The cards Ed presents to Elton read, "Hello. Last Christmas I received a call from my mate Elton John and he told me we should do a 'Christmas Song,'" the cards read. "And I replied 'Yeah. Maybe in 2022.' But I actually wrote the chorus that day and here we are. Our Christmas song 'Merry Christmas' is out this Friday. Go pre-order or pre-save it now. It has sleigh bells. A lot of them…."</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">❤️ <a href="https://t.co/nzj9ceOn5M">https://t.co/nzj9ceOn5M</a></p> — Ed Sheeran HQ (@edsheeran) <a href="https://twitter.com/edsheeran/status/1465264886003421184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Art for the song features an illustration of Sheeran placing a ‘rocket man’ astronaut tree topper on his Christmas tree as a smiling Elton looks on, holding a giant candy cane. The ‘rocket man’ is, naturally, a reference to the classic 1972 Elton track of the same name, which also gave its name to the 2019 film about John’s life starring Taron Egerton.</p> <p dir="ltr">All proceeds from the song will be going to the Ed Sheeran Suffolk Music Foundation and the Elton John Aids Foundation. Sheeran established his foundation in 2019 to provide grants to young musicians in his hometown of Suffolk, while John founded his in 1992 as a means of helping end the AIDS epidemic.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sheeran first announced the collaboration in October, telling the Dutch radio station NPO Radio 2, "Elton rung me on Christmas Day to say Merry Christmas," he said, adding that the pair speak “almost every day”.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He rung me on Christmas Day and he said, '"Step Into Christmas' is No. 6 in the charts, and I'm 74, and I'm still having f—ing chart hits, this is great! I want to do another Christmas song, will you do it with me?'"</p> <p dir="ltr">The singer later told Jimmy Fallon that he had some reservations, but eventually gave in. "I said to Elton, I was like, 'I don't really want to do a Christmas song unless we're going in. Unless it's like sleigh bells, ding-dong— yeah, it needs to be a proper Christmas song,'" he said. "I wrote a chorus, and then I went to go and stay with him, and we wrote three, and one of them was this one called 'Merry Christmas.'"</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Music

Sir Elton John honoured by Prince Charles

<p><em>Image: Aaron Chown</em></p> <p>Sir Elton John has been seen publicly for the first time since his recent hip surgery.</p> <p>Spotted with a walking stick, the 74-year-old singer met Prince Charles at Windsor Castle to be included into an exclusive club during an investiture held on Wednesday.</p> <p>The Rockstar and charity patron was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour – one of the Queen’s highest awards, given to citizens in Britian and across the Commonwealth.</p> <p>The 95-year-old monarch is also a member of the order, which can only have a maximum of 65 people, excluding the sovereign, at any one time.</p> <p>Introduced in 1917, by her grandfather King George V, the award recognises people who have made a “major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time.”</p> <p>Current members include British environmentalist David Attenborough, Canadian author Margaret Atwood and Sebastian Coe, one of Britain’s greatest-ever athletes.</p> <p>In the past, the group has included British wartime prime minister Winston Churchill and scientist Stephen Hawking.</p> <p>Elton John was first Knighted by the Queen in 1998, a year after the death of his friend Princess Diana.</p> <p>He joined the Companions of Honour after being named in the Queen’s Honours list in late 2019 for his services to music and charity.</p> <p>Following the ceremony, John posed with his husband David Furnish on the grounds of Windsor Castle.</p> <p>“I’ve had an amazing life, music has been my life, and I got this for music and for work for charity,” he said, reflecting on his career and the honour.</p> <p>"So this is just a reminder that there's more to do. More work to do for music, more work to do for charity and life is great — I'm so lucky."</p> <p>The singer has been one of the few artists to release a hit single in every decade since the 1970s, including<span> </span><em>Your Song</em>,<span> </span><em>Rocketman</em><span> </span>and<span> </span><em>Candle in the Wind</em>.</p>

Money & Banking

Elton John releases new The Lockdown Sessions album

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After Elton John was forced to pause his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in 2020, he went straight back to work. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 74-year-old music icon hit the studio and is now set to release his new collaborative album, titled </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Lockdown Sessions</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, on October 22nd. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The album features a range of new tracks featuring artists from several generations, including Nicki Minaj, Young Thug, Miley Cyrus, Lil Nas X, Stevie Nicks and Stevie Wonder.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The album was produced with all the guest artists working remotely from each other with safety precautions in place. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Elton came to know a range of popular artists through his Apple Music talk show </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rocket Hour,</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and wanted to push himself into unfamiliar territory.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I realised there was something weirdly familiar about working like this," he said in a statement announcing the album.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"At the start of my career, in the late 60s, I worked as a session musician. Working with different artists during lockdown reminded me of that. I'd come full circle: I was a session musician again. And it was still a blast."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Elton took to Twitter to announce his latest project with the album artwork along with the impressive 16-song tracklist. </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">The last thing I expected to do during lockdown was make an album but here it is. Thank you to everyone who came together to make it happen. <br /><br />I can’t wait for you all to hear ‘The Lockdown Sessions’ when it’s released on 22 October, but for now, preorder it from today. <a href="https://t.co/u8Qfvuk1Fk">pic.twitter.com/u8Qfvuk1Fk</a></p> — Elton John (@eltonofficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/eltonofficial/status/1433110624255582213?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Lockdown Sessions</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is the newest addition to Elton John’s impressive discography that boasts 31 studio albums, 5 live albums, 9 soundtrack albums, 22 compilation albums and 3 tribute albums. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He has sold over 200 million albums worldwide with his biggest album, the 1973 hit </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Goodbye Yellow Brick Road</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, selling over 30 million copies around the globe. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credit: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Music

Rod Stewart reveals "big falling out" with Elton John

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Rod Stewart is claiming that he's made efforts to heal the rift between himself and Elton John, but was snubbed by the Rocketman singer.</p> <p>The rockers had another falling out after Stewart, 75, mocked John's retirement tour and criticised the movie about John's life. </p> <p>Stewart opened up about the feud in a recent interview.</p> <p>“We don’t talk to each other anymore,” the <em>I Don’t Want to Talk About It</em> singer said on Chris Evans’ <a rel="noopener" href="https://shows.acast.com/chris-evans-how-to-wow/episodes/rod-stewart" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink"><em>How To Wow</em></a> podcast.</p> <p>The rocker added: “Big falling out.”</p> <p>“Last time I emailed him I said, ‘I’ve got this football pitch, would you like the boys to come up?’ You know, cause they both love football,” he said of John and his sons. “You don’t have to come, but if they want to come play on this they’re welcome.”</p> <p>“(He) never got back to me.”</p> <p>The rift initially started when Stewart claimed that John's biopic <em>Rocketman</em> didn't live up to its potential despite praising the Freddy Mercury biopic <em>Bohemian Rhapsody</em>.</p> <p>“It was OK, I just wished it hadn’t been a musical. I mean, the dancing outside the council house made it a bit ‘Mamma Mia’,” he said.</p> <p>He also slammed John's retirement tour, saying it's "dishonest".</p> <p>“If I retire, I won’t make an announcement. I’ll just fade away. I don’t think this is a big deal, it stinks of selling tickets,” he said.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Music

Elton John’s ex-wife demands millions over film and memoir

<p><span>Sir Elton John's ex-wife, Renate Blauel, is seeking an estimate of £3m in damages after claiming the legendary singer broke the terms of their divorce deal.</span><br /><br /><span>The sound engineer was wed to Sir Elton for four years and is suing her ex-husband over passages in his memoir <em>Me</em>, and his film centering around his life, <em>Rocketman</em>.</span><br /><br /><span>Ms Blauel says both of Elton’s works revealed details of the marriage, breaking an agreement they made when they divorced in 1988.</span><br /><br /><span>She says those disclosures triggered long-standing mental health problems.</span><br /><br /><span>However Sir Elton's defence has hit back, saying they acknowledge the existence of the divorce agreement that the pair both signed, but deny any breaches or causing "psychological harm".l</span><br /><br /><span>Sir Elton previously agreed to remove certain passages from his autobiography before it was published last year, according to papers filed at the High Court in London.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837071/elton-john.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/199363a06c5340bab7ca7a8d1d4dd930" /><br /><br /><span>In the final draft, Ms Blauel only appears on eight pages.</span><br /><br /><span>Sir Elton describes her in positive terms throughout the book, calling her "dignified", "decent" and "someone I couldn't fault in any way".</span><br /><br /><span>However, Ms Blauel says some of the remaining passages "seriously misrepresented the nature of their relationship".</span><br /><br /><span>Sir Elton claimed in his book that he did not enter their marriage with the intention of starting a family.</span><br /><br /><span>Ms Blauel denies this saying they both "did attempt to have children during their relationship but were unable to do so".</span><br /><br /><span>A request to have this passage removed was rejected, according to court documents.</span><br /><br /><span>Ms Blauel also claimed not to have been consulted about her appearance in Rocketman, although her character, played by Celinde Schoenmaker took up less than five minutes of screentime.</span><br /><br /><span>Ms Blauel also said that she had felt “great anxiety” after the release of the movie resulted in a journalist attempting to “locate her in her local village.”</span><br /><br /><span>Her lawyer, Yisrael Hiller, told the BBC that Sir Elton had "ignored" his promise to keep the details of their marriage private.</span><br /><br /><span>"Renate is particularly upset by the film," he said.</span><br /><br /><span>"In her mind, the film seeks to portray their marriage as a sham, which she wholeheartedly disputes and considers a false and disrespectful portrayal of their time together.</span><br /><br /><span>"Renate wants the privacy that was promised to her - that is why she is seeking an injunction. Any claim for monetary relief is secondary, and would just cover damages and future expenses caused by Elton's breaches."</span><br /><br /><span>Elton and Miss Blauel met in 1983, after Sir Elton recorded his comeback album Two Low For Zero at London's Air Studios.</span><br /><br /><span>Ms Blauel worked as an engineer.</span><br /><br /><span>The couple married the following year in Australia, and Ms Blauel told United Press International at the time: "He's the nicest guy I've ever met".</span><br /><br /><span>However, the pair divorced four years later.</span><br /><br /><span>Sir Elton, who had told Rolling Stone magazine in 1976 that he was bisexual, went on to admit to the publication that he was "quite comfortable being gay".</span><br /><br /><span>The star went on to marry filmmaker David Furnish in 2005, and the couple have two children.</span><br /><br /><span>Ms Blauel has maintained a low profile since the divorce, however Sir Elton has previously spoken of his "huge guilt and regret" over the pain he caused her.</span></p>

Legal

Elton John and Olivia Newton-John reunite in Melbourne

<p>Olivia Newton-John has reunited with her “brilliant, longtime friend” Elton John at his concert in Melbourne.</p> <p>The <em>Grease </em>star visited the 72-year-old singer backstage before his Saturday show at the AAMI Park and shared the picture they took together on Instagram.</p> <p>“So wonderful to see my brilliant, longtime friend Elton John at his amazing Melbourne concert. Thank you matey,” Newton-John wrote on a Monday post.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B88KY1gH-Cp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B88KY1gH-Cp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">So wonderful to see my brilliant, longtime friend @eltonjohn at his amazing Melbourne concert.Thank you matey❤️👏🏼 #eltonjohn #olivianewtonjohn #melbourne #australia</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/therealonj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Olivia Newton-john</a> (@therealonj) on Feb 23, 2020 at 10:45pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>John performed in front of 30,000 fans on Saturday following his walking pneumonia diagnosis, which forced him to <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/16/health/what-is-walking-pneumonia-trnd/index.html">stop a gig in New Zealand earlier this month</a>.</p> <p>“My doctor said I shouldn’t do the show tonight and I said ‘bollocks’ or words to that effect,” John told the audience.</p> <p>“I wasn’t going to miss this. I’m glad I came. My voice is a little rusty, but you’ve been so amazing. You’ve carried me through the night, thank you.”</p> <p>He also dedicated the song <em>Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me </em>to Newton-John, whom he referred to as “Dame Olivia”.</p> <p>“She is such a wonderful, inspiring woman, a great artist and a whole lotta fun,” he said.</p> <p>“I respect and love you so much, it was so great to see you before the show looking as great as you do, bless you forever.”</p> <p>John is set to complete his Australian tour on March 7, with the last concert taking place in Sydney’s Bankwest Stadium.</p>

Music

"Nasty and ungracious”: Elton John exposes feud with Madonna in new book

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pop legends Elton John and Madonna have had an ongoing feud for years as they battled against each other in the music charts.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, things have come to a head as John has revealed in his latest autobiography, as he said that Madonna is “nasty and ungracious”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> After Madonna said that one of Lady Gaga’s hits </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Born This Way</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> was “reductive”, John went in to defend his close friend.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He said: “Her tour is a disaster and it couldn’t happen to a bigger ****.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If Madonna had any common sense, she would have made a record like Ray of Light, stayed away from the dance stuff and just been a great pop singer and made pop records, which she does brilliantly.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“But no, she had to prove that she was like…</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“And she looks like a f****** fairground stripper.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He revealed what really happened in his autobiography ‘</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Me: Elton John’</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2zX0BQjDfE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2zX0BQjDfE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)</a> on Sep 24, 2019 at 10:44am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He said: “I got that Gaga’s single ‘Born This Way’ definitely sounded similar to ‘Express Yourself’, but I couldn’t see why she was so ungracious and nasty about it, rather than taking it as a compliment when a new generation of artists was influenced by her, particularly when she claims to be a champion for women.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also said that due to his years-long friendship with interviewer Molly Meldrum, he did not expect the footage to be aired.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Still, I shouldn’t have said it. I apologised afterwards when I bumped into her in a restaurant in France and she was very gracious about it.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, John ran his mouth later on, calling out Madonna for lip-syncing.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Madonna, best live act? F*** off. Since when has lip-syncing been live?” John said in 2004 after accepting an award for classic songwriter at the 2004 Q Awards.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Sorry about that, but I think everyone who lip-syncs on stage in public when you pay like 75 quid to see them should be shot. Thank you very much. That’s me off her Christmas card list, but do I give a toss? No.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Madonna addressed the matter in 2012 backstage at the Golden Globes, after she won Best Original Song.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She said: “I hope he speaks to me for the next couple of years. He’s known to get mad at me… He’ll win another award. I don’t feel bad.”</span></p>

Music

Million dollar men: Elton John and Chris Hemsworth's huge bushfire pledges

<p>Celebrities are putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to donating to bushfire relief that’s ravaging Australia.</p> <p>Elton John received a standing ovation at his concert as he pledged to donate $1 million for Australia’s bushfire relief efforts.</p> <p>“There are people out there who have lost their lives trying to save homes. There are people who have lost their lives and their homes,” he said<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/BrittA2211/status/1214516183023542272" target="_blank">to the crowd</a>.</p> <p>“And lastly there’s the plight of the animals. A loss of their habitat that frankly is on a biblical scale, and heart-breaking. Therefore, tonight I will be pledging one million dollars to support the bushfire relief fund.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Elton John just donated one million dollars to the bushfire relief <a href="https://t.co/Ld2i0t9n98">pic.twitter.com/Ld2i0t9n98</a></p> — Britt (@BrittA2211) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrittA2211/status/1214516183023542272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">7 January 2020</a></blockquote> <p>He matched Marvel star Chris Hemsworth donation of $1 million, as Hemsworth encouraged his 38.9 million followers on Instagram to dig deep and help in any way that they can.</p> <p>“We’re still in the thick of it here with plenty of challenging times ahead and still to come. So, what we need is your support and your donations,” the father of three said in a video.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B7AG8XHp-wQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B7AG8XHp-wQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth)</a> on Jan 6, 2020 at 6:34pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Kylie Minogue made headlines for donating $500,000 to the bushfire relief and said that the devastation in Australia is “heartbreaking”.</p> <p>“As a family, we’ve donated $500,000 towards the immediate firefighting efforts and the ongoing support which will be required,” she wrote in an Instagram post.</p> <p>“Big or small, from near or far, any support will help those affected by the devastating bushfires.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6-EYf-gnCy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6-EYf-gnCy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Last year I had the incredible opportunity of visiting some of the many beautiful places in my homeland for the first time. Returning home to such devastation throughout much of the country is heartbreaking. As a family, we’ve donated $500,000 towards the immediate firefighting efforts and the ongoing support which will be required. Big or small, from near or far, any support will help those affected by the devastating bushfires. With love, The Minogue Family. @redcrossau @nswrfs @cfavic @sa_countryfireservice @wireswildliferescue #Australia</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/kylieminogue/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Kylie Minogue</a> (@kylieminogue) on Jan 5, 2020 at 11:28pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban were one of the first celebrities to donate to bushfire relief, as they donated $500,000 after spending Christmas in Sydney with their daughters.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B66mowFpyI9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B66mowFpyI9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Our family’s support, thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the fires all over Australia. We are donating $500,000 to the Rural Fire Services who are all doing and giving so much right now.</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/nicolekidman/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Nicole Kidman</a> (@nicolekidman) on Jan 4, 2020 at 3:10pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Aussie favourite Pink also donated $500,000 “directly to the local fire services that are battling so hard on the frontlines.”</p> <p>The singer wrote she is “totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia right now with the horrific bushfires. My heart goes out to our friends and family in Oz”.</p> <p>However, the campaign that has caught the most attention is run by comedian Celeste Barber, as her campaign has currently raised $45 million for the Trustee for the NSW Rural Fire Service and Brigades Donation Fund.</p> <p>The fund is managed by a group of trustees, according to<span> </span><em>SBS</em>, who have significant experience with the NSW RFS.</p> <p>"The purpose of the trust is to make available to brigades the ability to accept tax-deductible donations, both in person and online, with as little administrative burden as possible," its <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/95062/NSW-RFS-and-Brigade-Donations-Fund-DGR-Trustees-Annual-Report-2017-2018-....PDF" target="_blank">most recent annual report says</a>.</p> <p>"It was established and is operated solely for the purpose of supporting the volunteer-based fire and emergency service activities of the brigades."</p> <p>The NSW RFS said that they are focusing on the ongoing bush fire emergency before even thinking about spending the money. They said in a statement to SBS:</p> <p>"The NSW RFS is focused on the ongoing bush fire emergency that continues to affect communities across NSW. We are continuing work to slow the spread of fires, establish containment lines, conduct building impact assessments and return residents to their communities as soon as possible," a spokesperson said.</p> <p>"It's important that our members, who know what's best for their brigades and communities, have a say in the use of donated funds."</p> <p>"Once the bush fire emergency eases, the NSW RFS will work with senior volunteers and brigades to ensure donated funds are used for the greatest benefit of our members and their communities."</p> <p><em>OverSixty, its parent company and its owners are donating a total of $200,000 to the Vinnie’s Bushfire Appeal. We have also pledged an additional $100,000 of product to help all those affected by the bushfire crisis. We would love you to support too! Head to the <a href="https://donate.vinnies.org.au/appeals-nsw/vinnies-nsw-bushfire-appeal-nsw">Vinnie's website</a> to donate!</em></p>

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Million dollar men: Elton John and Chris Hemsworth's huge bushfire pledges

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Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

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Search

Elton John hospitalised after fall

"One of the greats": Elton John's stirring tribute to Michael Parkinson

Elton John's final message to crowd at last concert ever

Why do musicians like Elton John find retirement so tough? A music psychology expert explains

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle share a special message with Sir Elton John

Elton John's glamorous new digs

Prince Harry, Elizabeth Hurley and Elton John suing Daily Mail

Outpouring of love for Princess Diana

Britney Spears makes musical comeback with Elton John

Elton John brings new farewell shows to Australia and New Zealand

Sir Elton John responds to images of him in wheelchair

"It would've cracked him in the head!" Ed Sheeran's near miss with Elton John

Elton John and Ed Sheeran join forces for Christmas

Sir Elton John honoured by Prince Charles

Elton John releases new The Lockdown Sessions album

Rod Stewart reveals "big falling out" with Elton John

Elton John’s ex-wife demands millions over film and memoir

Elton John and Olivia Newton-John reunite in Melbourne

"Nasty and ungracious”: Elton John exposes feud with Madonna in new book

Million dollar men: Elton John and Chris Hemsworth's huge bushfire pledges

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