Sir Elton John opened up about his own mortality on The Graham Norton Show, coming close to tears.
He was discussing a line from a song given to him by his lyricist Bernie Taupin when he said: “And then I get to the chorus, and I find it’s about my death, my demise.
“And as a 76-year-old man, which I was at that time, and having children and having a husband, mortality, and you think about, ‘How long have I got? How long? I hope I’ve got much longer than maybe I’ve got [left].’
“And so by the time I got to the chorus and suddenly realised that I started singing it (and) I lost it for 45 minutes. It was a very, very heavy moment for me.
“After 45 minutes of being consoled, I was okay, but I recorded the next day…when you’re singing about being washed out to sea and the end of your life, it took me by surprise.” His admission about potentially not having long left came just weeks after revealing he could not see on stage.
Elton, now 77, was at the West End production of The Devil Wears Prada musical (which he wrote) when he said he “lost his eyesight and can’t see the stage”. He added: “As some of you may know I have had issues and now I have lost my sight. I haven’t been able to see the performance but I have enjoyed it.
“To my husband who’s been my rock because I haven’t been able to come to many of the previews… it’s hard for me to see it but I love to hear it and it sounded good tonight OK. Thank you for coming!”
The artist, supported on stage by his partner David Furnish, has been open about his health issues in recent times. Posting an update to fans on social media last October, he disclosed: “To be honest with you, there’s not much of me left. I don’t have tonsils, adenoids or an appendix. I don’t have a prostate.
“I don’t have a right hip or a left knee or a right knee. In fact, the only thing left to me is my left hip. But I’m still here.”
Eyesight struggles
The Rocket Man singer has spoken out about struggling with blindness after contracting an infection while on holiday in southern France, reports the Express.
Writing on Instagram last September to his almost 5 million followers, he revealed: “Over the summer, I’ve been dealing with a severe eye infection that has unfortunately left me with only limited vision in one eye. I am healing, but it’s an extremely slow process and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye.
“I am so grateful for the excellent team of doctors and nurses and my family, who have taken such good care of me over the last several weeks. I have been quietly spending the summer recuperating at home, and am feeling positive about the progress I have made in my healing and recovery thus far. With love and gratitude.”
Musicians Jools Holland and Hannah Waddingham expressed their support with get-well messages.
Diabetes
Diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2000, he altered his diet to manage his blood sugar levels. He recently admitted on Lady Ruth Roger’s Table 4 podcast that he hadn’t indulged in a sweet treat for a “long time”.
He said: “I can have an apple, I can eat a bit of melon. As long as you’re sensible about it, it doesn’t shoot your blood sugar up. But what I crave is chocolate and ice cream, I can’t have any ice cream.”
He joked that if he were to choose a last meal, it would be all the sweet treats he currently can’t have, including ice cream, donuts, apple pie and rhubarb crumble.
Appendicitis
Fans may recall him cancelling his 2013 summer tour due to appendicitis. His representative stated at the time: “Elton is incredibly disappointed to postpone these tour dates.
“To know that he made such superhuman efforts and continued to perform to thousands through his illness only confirms his dedication to his European fans. He is eager to be back on top form and return to play the remaining shows starting in early September 2013.”
Elton underwent surgery to remove his appendix in July of that year.
Hip surgery
A fall in 2021 resulted in “considerable pain and discomfort” in his hip, leading to the cancellation of some dates of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. Despite undergoing surgery again, he revealed that “despite intensive physio and specialist treatment, the pain has continued to get worse and is leading to increasing difficulties moving”.
Elton said: “I have been advised to have an operation as soon as possible to get me back to full fitness and make sure there are no long-term complications.”
Fans were thrilled when the I’m Still Standing singer made a comeback to finish his tour in 2023, after the COVID-19 pandemic caused additional setbacks.
Cancer
In 2017, the much-loved singer was diagnosed with prostate cancer and opted for surgery over chemotherapy, desiring to spare his family from the ordeal “hanging over” them.
Although initially successful, Elton suffered a serious infection days post-surgery, which nearly cost him his life. Reflecting on the harrowing experience in his autobiography Me, he disclosed how he faced a life-threatening complication and spent 11 days wondering if he would survive the ordeal in hospital.
He recalled the moments of fear and prayer, saying: “In the hospital, alone at the dead of night, I’d prayed: please don’t let me die, please let me see my kids again, please give me a little longer.”