Sir Elton John has sold more than 300 million records worldwide, played Glastonbury and Live Aid, won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. But, he says becoming sober in 1990 was one of his greatest feats.
"I’ve been sober for 36 years and my life has never been better," the 79-year-old star tells HELLO!. "I nearly lost everything through my addictions, and becoming sober has been one of my greatest achievements. I’ve been so lucky to have the life I’ve had and it keeps getting better."
This year he launched Elton John Zero Blanc de Blancs – a 0% alcohol sparkling wine created with David Furnish, his husband and partner of 33 years – and Elton says he loves sharing the new drink with friends.
"Seeing their reactions has been a joy after we put so much effort into getting it right," he says.
© Getty ImagesIt’s been a big year for the Rocket Man singer. Despite retiring from large-scale global touring in 2023 – his extended Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour included the top spot at Glastonbury Festival that year – he still plays one-off shows.
"I headlined Rock in Rio in September, which was a major highlight. It was an unreal experience – one of the biggest shows I’ve ever played."
© TV Times via Getty ImagesMusic is bringing him as much joy as ever, he says, citing a "really lovely evening" at the Ivor Novello Awards in May alongside Harry Styles, Rosalía and Lola Young.
"I’m lucky to have met some incredible individuals," he says. "Being with other musicians energises me, and that was a really inspiring evening. Championing new artists and discovering new music keeps me energised. It’s a brilliant time for British music again and amazing to see artists like Lola Young and Olivia Dean breaking through on the global stage."
Elton's life at home
Hosting friends is one of life’s pleasures. Elton says he is "obsessed" with table settings. "I learnt that from my friend Gianni Versace. He used to change tablecloths for every course, practically. I became addicted to porcelain and glassware.
"Having Elton John Zero around the house has given David and I the perfect opportunity to bring out the glassware again," he adds.
"I’ve spent so long on the road and touring – over 50 years – that an evening at home with loved ones and interesting conversation is perfection for me.
"We had Jack Draper and his family round for dinner – my boys [Zachary, 15, and Elijah, 13] are huge tennis fans. I met him at the Burberry fashion show and we had him round for a Sunday lunch."
His alcohol-free sparkling wine came from a "need" in his life.
"Both David and I are teetotal, and we absolutely love to entertain. We wanted something that felt fitting to toast those celebratory moments in our life.
"I get approached all the time about putting my name to products and I’m very discerning. This just felt right.
"The benchmark was always ‘would we serve this in our own home?’ and the answer was a resounding yes."
Elton John Zero is stocked in the UK at Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Ocado, Booths and Amazon.
