Elton John will quit touring for good to spend more time with husband David and sons Zachary and Elijah
SIR ELTON JOHN revealed earlier today he is quitting touring for good after more than five decades for the sake of his family.
I caught up with the Rocket Man immediately after his emotional announcement for an exclusive interview, which you can read here tomorrow.
But fans will be treated to a final extravaganza, as Elton unveiled his mammoth three-year, 300-date Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, after which he will stop for good.
In a press conference at New York’s Gotham Hall, he said: “I am not going to be touring any more, apart from the last tour which is going to start in September of this year, and it’ll be a global tour.
“It is the last time I will be touring and travelling the world because my priorities have changed.”
The superstar, who has sons Zachary, seven, and Elijah, five, with husband DAVID FURNISH, continued: “We had children, and they have changed our lives. In 2015 David and I sat down with a school schedule and I thought, ‘I don’t want to miss too much of this’.
“I’ve had an amazing life, I’ve had an amazing career, I’ve been so incredibly lucky. And my life has changed.
“When I stop they’re going to be ten and eight and that’s a very important time of their lives
“I love them so much, I don’t want to miss them, and I don’t want them to miss me.”
Tour by numbers
Elton will play more than 300 shows, in FIVE continents, over THREE years, to 4.5million fans.
WHERE HE’LL PLAY:
America - September 8, 2018
Europe - April 2019
Asia - November 2019
Australia - December 2019
South America - March 2020
Europe part 2 and UK - late 2020
North America - 2021
The schedule will include ten nights in the UK.
Elton insisted he will continue to make music and may perform a residency once the tour ends, but can’t bear to travel any more.
He explained: “I’m not going to be one of those people who says, ‘I’m going to do a world tour, I’m retiring’. I’m not CHER. Even though I like wearing her clothes. So this is the end.
“I said to Zachary, ‘When Daddy dies, promise me there won’t be a hologram of me going around the world doing concerts’.
That’s the last thing I want. Who knows, they may go broke and put me back on the f***ing stage. But I think that’s a bit freaky.
“If I do live shows ever again, I imagine it would be something like a residency, like KATE BUSH did in the Hammersmith Apollo — she did three weeks. I don’t want to travel.”
The tour — which is in partnership with Gucci, which will design all of Elton’s outfits — will begin in Pennsylvania, America, on September 8.
Elton added: “It’s going to be the most produced, fantastic show that I have ever done on the road.
“I’m really looking forward to doing this tour — and I’m really looking forward to the 300th date.”
I don’t blame him.
Read on for more of Dan Wootton's Bizarre column
Thanks for the Ed's up
GEORGE EZRA is taking dry January to new levels with a double detox from booze and social media.
The singer revealed he is switching his phone off every night after advice from pal ED SHEERAN.
In an exclusive chat George, back with new single Paradise, said: “I had bouts of anxiety. Ed Sheeran told me he’s just on an iPad now. The world is going to keep spinning, you’re not going to miss anything.”
He has also quit booze to focus on the March release of second record Staying At Tamara’s.
He added: “It’s only been two weeks so far. The bit I miss is the hangovers – the excuse to lounge about.”
He can be on fry-up duty for his pals the morning after then.
Howdy, yee-haa Ora
IT looks like RITA ORA spent Paris Fashion Week binge-watching Toy Story rather than the catwalk.
The former America’s Next Top Model host channelled Disney cowboy Woody, with her hat and yellow shirt for a date with her producer boyfriend ANDREW WATT, after the pair flew into New York on Tuesday evening.
This week it was revealed that Rita had made it on to Forbes magazine’s annual list of Europe’s 30 brightest acts under 30, alongside fellow Brits ANTHONY JOSHUA, DUA LIPA, LITTLE MIX and Game of Thrones actresses MAISIE WILLIAMS and NATHALIE EMMANUEL.
Still, I’m not sure this look will catch on.
NTA red carpet exclusive
I GOT tough-talking KIM WOODBURN to grill celebs at the NTAs – but she dropped the biggest bombshell.
The How Clean Is Your House muckbuster revealed to ROD STEWART’s wife PENNY LANCASTER: “I went to your husband’s house. I was going for a job as a cleaner when he had his other wife. I knocked on the door and she said she wouldn’t come down until I’d given my birth date so they could check me out with a psychic.”
You can watch Kim terrorising stars including FERNE McCANN, CAROLINE FLACK and PETER ANDRE on the red carpet on my Facebook page.
Biz bit
STING and SHAGGY are releasing a Caribbean-influenced album called 44/876. Sting got Shaggy, who he calls “the Pope of Jamaica” to work with him in LA.
He said: “I’ve always had an affinity for the island”. The album is out in April.
Biz meter: film
Box office
DISNEY’S ghoulish new film Coco has charmed the box office, making £3.36million in its debut weekend. It is the company’s biggest UK opening for an animation since Finding Dory in 2016. GARY OLDMAN’s Darkest Hour marches on, taking £10.16million in ten days.
Stalled
ANNE HATHAWAY’s live-action Barbie movie has been pushed back two years so producers can perfect the script. She took over as leading lady last year after AMY SCHUMER had to drop out. The film was originally scheduled to hit screens in August this year.
Biopic
IWAN RHEON is to play guitarist MICK MARS in The Dirt, a biopic of rockers MOTLEY CRUE. The Punisher’s DANIEL WEBBER will play frontman VINCE NEIL and DOUGLAS BOOTH will play bassist NIKKI SIXX. Filming starts next month.
Oscars
MARGOT ROBBIE has told how she and her mum blubbed on hearing of her Best Actress Oscar nomination for I, Tonya. She said: “They announced my name and everyone just went, ‘Ahh’ and started screaming. My mum was crying and I think I even cried because I was so overwhelmed.”