Sir Elton John has spoken openly about his fears of death, saying “I don’t know how much time I have left”, in a new documentary about his life.
The 77-year-old Rocketman singer also admitted that his young children worry about his age.
Elton John: Never Too Late was shown at a special gala screening at the Royal Festival Hall as part of the London Film Festival (LFF) on Thursday, and depicts his decades-long career.
Directed by US filmmaker RJ Cutler and Sir Elton’s husband, David Furnish, the project includes never-before-seen footage and conversations with the artist’s long-time songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, as well as Dua Lipa and the late John Lennon.
Sir Elton rounded off his touring career last year, with his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.
He’s suffered with various health issues over the years including knee and hip replacements, surgery for prostate cancer and most recently revealed he has limited vision in one eye following a severe eye infection.
Footage in the film shows him preparing for his final concert in North America at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, having performed two sold-out concerts at the venue back in 1975.
Sir Elton, 77, says: “I wonder what is going to happen to all of this stuff when I finish? This is the latter time of my life. I don’t know how much time I have left.
“And you think about that more when you get to my age. You think about life and death. You think: Well, I just want to be where I want to be now.
“I don’t have to work after this tour. I will be working doing records and putting radio shows together, and doing other things, but travelling takes so much out of you.
“It is very tiring. I am used to it and I am a veteran at it… but this is where you start to think about mortality.”
(L-R): RJ Cutler, Sir Elton and David Furnish at the Toronto International Film Festival. Pic: Reuters
‘They worry about my mortality’
He also says in the film that his two sons Zachary, 13, and Elijah, 11, “think about his mortality”.
He explains: “They worry about my mortality because they know how old I am. Not so much David, but me, they love their Daddy so they want me to be around forever.
“I would love to be around forever. I want to see them have children, and get married, but I don’t think I am going to be around for that, who knows, you never know.
“So that’s why I want to make the best of my time while I am around… time together is so wonderful and so precious.”
Sir Elton told the LFF audience that the contrast between his final performance and his shows at the same stadium nearly 50 years later was stark.
He said: “I come off stage for the last time in America, and Dodger Stadium again, where I have the most wonderful life. No sadness, just happiness, family, children, husband, friends, sobriety. It was a hell of a difference.
“And it’s shown in two pieces – what can happen to people who aren’t really… I wasn’t prepared for the success I had, I loved it, but the back end of it, or the bad side of it, was that all I had was music, and there was nothing else and no foundation whatsoever.
“So, they captured it brilliantly, and I really didn’t have much to do with it. I let them get on with it.”
Sir Elton and Bernie Taupin win an Oscar in 2020. Pic: PA
In 2019, Taron Egerton starred in Rocketman, a film about Sir Elton’s early life, depicting his childhood through to the 1980s. The movie won Sir Elton his second Oscar for best original song.
Known for hits including I’m Still Standing, Candle In The Wind and Your Song, he was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour in 2021.
Elton John: Never Too Late premieres on 13 December on Disney Plus.
