Sir Elton John: I was a monster. I’m a better person now that I’ve got children


Sir Elton John revealed that fatherhood has helped him to consign his tantrums to the past, as he was honoured with the first Brits Icon award.

The singer performed a career-spanning set at the London Palladium, which was interspersed with surprise video messages from friends and colleagues in recognition of his work.

Between songs he spoke candidly, paying tribute to his partner David Furnish, 50, and their sons Zachary, aged two, and Elijah, who is almost nine months old. Of his infamous temper, Sir Elton, 66, admitted: “We’re all monsters sometimes. I’ve changed a lot, I’ve done a lot of work on myself.

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“My partner has helped me and confronted me on issues, and helped me become a better person.
“Having the children is just the icing on the cake. You have to behave yourself around them. You can’t swear, you can’t do this, because it will reflect on their behaviour.

“It’s the best thing that’s happened to me in my life. My partner is damned near that because he’s been with me nearly 20 years.”

Sir Elton called his 1975 suicide attempt — when he swallowed 60 Valium pills and jumped into the swimming pool at his Los Angeles mansion in front of his mother and grandmother — a “cry for help”. He added: “I’m all mouth and no trousers. I’ve never been good at expressing my feelings

“I regret my drug use and selfishness. But I had to go through that to become the person I am now. I had to learn to become a human being again. I’m 23 years clean now.”

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The superstar opened the Palladium set with I’m Still Standing and closed by duetting on Sad Songs (Say So Much) with his friend, rocker Rod Stewart, who presented him with the award.

Sir Elton stunned the audience at one point


during a discussion about his formative years when he remarked: “The Fifties was a very sedate era. You could play outside without getting raped.” The evening was hosted by X Factor presenter Dermot O’Leary and included messages from Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, former US president Bill Clinton and Sir Elton’s longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. Liz Hurley, Pixie Lott, Gary Barlow and Lulu were in the audience.

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