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Elton John's glamorous new digs

<p dir="ltr">Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish have set their sights on their new home: a yet-to-be-completed penthouse in Toronto.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a recent interview with <em>Globe and Mail</em>, the couple revealed that they had bought one of the bespoke penthouses in the King Toronto complex.</p> <p dir="ltr">The music icon and filmmaker have chosen an apartment called the “Treehouse”, as reported by <em><a href="https://storeys.com/a-condo-in-the-wind-inside-elton-john-new-toronto-penthouse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Storeys</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Designed by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, the complex includes six penthouses that are described as like “living on a mountaintop”, according to developer Westbank. </p> <p dir="ltr">While they are all custom-designed, all of the penthouses share a natural theme integrated using trees, foliage, and outdoor terraces - with the Treehouse even boasting an actual tree.</p> <p dir="ltr">The new two-storey home of the Rocket Man singer will also feature four terraces, an inner courtyard, and an interior that will include a wine cellar and curved sculptural staircase.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It has great views over the west and south,” says Riz Dhanji, president at Rad Marketing, who represents Westbank.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It has a unique tree in the middle of the unit as part of an artistic factor, a custom brass kitchen designed by Bjarke Ingels, and a stunning brass curved staircase that’s custom designed. The hardwood flooring is custom designed to mimic the exterior expression of the penthouse itself.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The unique designs aren’t exclusive to the penthouses either, with the complex exterior designed to have a LEGO-like look that resembles a stack of light-filled boxes and which is expected to be completed by September next year.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1d5dcb59-7fff-18f8-e417-b58eeffc7431"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @eltonjohn (Instagram), Westbank</em></p>

Property

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“Vast ocean of love": Olivia's husband releases new message

<p dir="ltr">John Easterling has honoured his “courageous” late wife Olivia Newton-John in a moving post on her official Instagram, along with a sweet throwback photo of the couple.</p> <p dir="ltr">Easterling, who broke the news of <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/honouring-dame-olivia-newton-john" target="_blank" rel="noopener">her sudden passing on August 8</a>, remembered his wife of 14 years and the love they shared.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Our love for each other transcends our understanding,” Easterling began.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-512e7ad5-7fff-0bbb-02e2-9c64e6485d6e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Every day we expressed our gratitude for this love that could be so deep, so real, so natural. We never had to ‘work’ on it. We were in awe of this great mystery and accepted the experience of our love as past, present and forever.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChFqQeQvBVd/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChFqQeQvBVd/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Olivia Newton-John (@therealonj)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The 70-year-old called his wife a “healer”, honouring her courage, kindness and her dedication to cancer awareness and research through the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At Olivia’s deepest essence she was a healer using her mediums of song, of words, of touch,” he continued. </p> <p dir="ltr">“She was the most courageous woman I’ve ever known. Her bandwidth for genuinely caring for people, for nature and all creatures almost eclipses what is humanely possible. It is only the grace of God that has allowed me to share the depth and passion of her being for so long.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In her most difficult times, she always had the spirit, the humor, and the will power [sic] to move things into the light.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Easterling ended his post by thanking fans for their messages of love and support following Newton-John’s death, and that her love has even helped him navigate his grief.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Even now as her soul soars, the pain and holes in my heart are healed with the joy of her love and the light that shines forward,” Easterling wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Our family deeply appreciates the vast ocean of love and support that has come our way.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Onward Ho.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Comments of support flooded in from friends and family praising Easterlings words, with <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/olivia-s-niece-reveals-final-heartbreaking-moments" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tottie Goldsmith</a>, Newton-John’s niece, commenting that the pair were “true soulmates”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So beautifully said,” Jane Seymour commented. “She loved and adored you with every fibre of her soul and we could all dream of having that love and support in our lives. God bless you all.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I am so grateful to have experienced her talent, sweetness and genuine respect,” country singer Stella Parton shared. “Thank you for being the truly wonderful soul mate to travel with her on this earth. May your life always be so much richer for sharing in her light and love.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Dear John, what a beautiful tribute to your darling wife,” one fan said. “Our hearts are with you every step of the way.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Such beautiful words for a lovely lady. To find a love so wonderful is a true gift,” another added.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-46e8640a-7fff-587a-b12c-541dcfb7e015"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @therealonj (Instagram)</em></p>

Health

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Shock as John Travolta’s wife Kelly Preston dies aged 57

<p><span>Kelly Preston, the actress who had been married to John Travolta has died after a silent and private battle with breast cancer at just 57.</span><br /><br /><span>The actress, who went to school in Adelaide, had been combating breast cancer for two years, and was confirmed to have passed by a family representative.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5O1ytnIkxJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5O1ytnIkxJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Kelly Preston (@therealkellypreston)</a> on Nov 23, 2019 at 6:45pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>"On the morning of July 12, 2020, Kelly Preston, adored wife and mother, passed away following a two-year battle with breast cancer," a statement to People said.</span><br /><br /><span>"Choosing to keep her fight private, she had been undergoing medical treatment for some time, supported by her closest family and friends.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CCkh3cGH6Rv/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CCkh3cGH6Rv/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by 𝗘𝗠𝗠𝗔 エマ (@xo_emmagram_xo)</a> on Jul 12, 2020 at 10:36pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>“She was a bright, beautiful and loving soul who cared deeply about others and who brought life to everything she touched. Her family asks for your understanding of their need for privacy at this time."\</span></p> <p>John took to Instagram to share the heartbreaking news with fans. </p> <p>"<span>It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my beautiful wife Kelly has lost her two-year battle with breast cancer. She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many," he wrote.</span></p> <p><span>"My family and I will forever be grateful to her doctors and nurses at MD Anderson Cancer Center, all the medical centers that have helped, as well as her many friends and loved ones who have been by her side. Kelly’s love and life will always be remembered. </span></p> <p><span>"I will be taking some time to be there for my children who have lost their mother, so forgive me in advance if you don’t hear from us for a while.  But please know that I will feel your outpouring of love in the weeks and months ahead as we heal.</span></p> <p> </p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CCkgCG5ptxE/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CCkgCG5ptxE/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by John Travolta (@johntravolta)</a> on Jul 12, 2020 at 10:20pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>Preston lives on through her husband John Travolta and their children Ella, 20, and 9-year-old son Benjamin.</span><br /><br /><span>The couple shared a son Jett who died at age 16 in January 2009.</span></p>

Lifestyle

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John Lennon murder: Killer’s strange act after shooting Beatles star

<p><span>Sunday marks the 39<sup>th</sup> anniversary of John Lennon’s death. </span></p> <p><span>The late Beatles legend was shot outside his Manhattan apartment in 1980 and died at the age of 40. His killer, Mark David Chapman was a 25-year-old former security guard with no prior criminal convictions.</span></p> <p><span>After planning the murder for months, Chapman came to the Dakota apartment building where Lennon and wife Yoko Ono lived on December 8, 1980 and waited. Chapman met the couple at 5pm as they were leaving for a studio session, and Lennon signed Chapman’s <em>Double Fantasy </em>album.</span></p> <p><span>Chapman then waited for Lennon to return from the studio. Lennon and Ono returned at 10.50pm, and as they passed by to enter the building, Chapman fired five shots at the Beatles singer, four of which hit him in the back and shoulder. Lennon was rushed to Roosevelt Hospital but later pronounced dead on arrival.</span></p> <p><span>When police came to arrest Chapman, he was still at the scene reading a copy of JD Salinger’s 1951 novel <em>The Catcher in the Rye</em>. “This is my statement”, Chapman’s handwriting in the book read.</span></p> <p><span>The novel tells the story of 16-year-old Holden Caulfield, who rallied against the “phoniness” of the adult world.</span></p> <p><span>“I’m sure the big part of me is Holden Caulfield, who is the main person in the book. The small part of me must be the Devil,” Chapman told the police.</span></p> <p><span>Two months later, Chapman sent a statement to the <em>New York Times</em>. He wrote in all caps: “It is my sincere belief that presenting this written statement will not only stimulate the reading of JD Salinger’s <em>The Catcher in the Rye</em> but will also help many to understand what has happened.</span></p> <p><span>“All of my efforts will now be devoted toward this goal, for this extraordinary book holds many answers. My true hope is that in wanting to find these answers you will read <em>The Catcher in the Rye</em>. Thank you.”</span></p> <p><span>The novel was also carried by killer Robert John Bardo on the night he murdered actress Rebecca Schaeffer.</span></p> <p><span>Apart from the book, Chapman’s crime was also said to be motivated by his displeasure with Lennon’s blasphemous public statements.</span></p> <p><span>Chapman said listening to <em>Imagine </em>weeks before the murder <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070927000251/http:/www.secweb.org/index.aspx?action=viewAsset&amp;id=73">enraged him</a>. “I would listen to this music and I would get angry at him, for saying that he didn’t believe in God,” he said. </span></p> <p><span>“I just wanted to scream out loud, 'Who does he think he is, saying these things about God and heaven and the Beatles?' Saying that he doesn’t believe in Jesus and things like that. At that point, my mind was going through a total blackness of anger and rage… So I brought the Lennon book home, into this <em>Catcher in the Rye</em> milieu where my mind set is Holden Caulfield and antiphony-ness. While contemplating this new Lennon, I really delved into the ink of Holden Caulfield.”</span></p>

Entertainment

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Elton John reveals furious row with Tina Turner in new autobiography

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sir Elton John has revealed in his new autobiography </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Me</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> about the tough times he went through with singer Tina Turner. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The two legends united for a joint tour in 1997, but tensions quickly rose and eventually Elton told Tina to “shove her song up her f***ing a**e”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In an extract from the book, which has been serialised in the </span><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-7551955/Elton-Uncensored-Tinas-tantrum-simply-best.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Daily Mail</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Elton revealed that he was particularly upset after some suggestions from Tina. The suggestions included swapping his Versace for Armani outfits so he would look “less fat” and that he should update his hairstyle.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I got off the phone and burst into tears: ‘She sounded like my f***ing mother,’ I wailed at David.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Things didn’t get better in rehearsals. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The subsequent debate about whether I knew how to play </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Proud Mary</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> became quite heated, before I brought it to a conclusion by telling Tina Turner to stick her f*****g song up her a**e and stormed off,” Elton added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’ve thrown plenty of tantrums in my time, but there are limits: there’s an unspoken rule that musicians don’t treat their fellow musicians like s***.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, Elton has had time to reflect on why Tina was acting like that.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Maybe it was insecurity on her part. She’d been treated appallingly earlier in her career, suffered years and years of being ripped off, beaten up and pushed around. Maybe that had an effect on how she behaved towards people,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Later, once Elton had calmed down, he went to Tina’s dressing room to apologise.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The argument made the pair realise that they had different performance styles, as Elton preferred to improvise, and Tina wanted to rehearse every detail.</span></p>

Entertainment

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Elton John opens up in hilarious memoir about Queen Elizabeth and beloved friend Princess Diana

<p>In Elton John’s new autobiography titled<span> </span>Me,<span> </span>the famous musician offered up some salacious information about Queen Elizabeth and his dear friend, Princess Diana. </p> <p>John, 72, recalled some of his favourite memories and first-hand experiences with members of one of the world’s most famous families. </p> <p>In a refreshing twist, the musician shared a delightful story about the British Monarch and her nephew, Princess Margaret’s son Viscount Linley. </p> <p>The Queen requested he check on his sister, Lady Armstrong-Jones, who had left a party early feeling sickly. </p> <p>However, despite Linley doing his best to avoid fulfilling the request, the Queen did not back down and instead asserted her authority. </p> <p> "When [Linley] repeatedly tried to fob her off," John wrote, per the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=74968X1525087&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetimes.co.uk%2Farticle%2Felton-john-tells-gobsmacking-tales-about-the-queen-and-diana-grpn0k5j7&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.townandcountrymag.com%2Fsociety%2Ftradition%2Fa29388157%2Felton-john-queen-elizabeth-princess-diana-memoir-me-stories%2F" target="_blank">Times</a>, "the Queen lightly slapped him across the face, saying: “‘Don't'—slap—'argue'—slap—'with'—slap—'me'—slap—'I'—slap—'am'—slap—'THE QUEEN!'"</p> <p>After the Queen had noticed John had witnessed the entire situation, she winked at him playfully. </p> <p>"I know the Queen’s public image isn’t exactly one of wild frivolity, but... in private she could be hilarious”. </p> <p>The 72-year-old also shared some heartfelt memories of his late royal friend, Princess Di, who passed away in 1997. </p> <p>John wrote the royal was "blessed with an incredible social ease, an ability to make people feel totally comfortable in her company.”</p> <p>He also noted it was a quality both Prince William and Harry possess as well. </p> <p>The celebrity met Princess Di at a party in 1981, and apparently they were both quickly taken with her. </p> <p>He recalled the pair “immediately clicked,” and "ended up pretending to dance the Charleston while hooting at the disco’s feebleness.</p> <p>"She was fabulous company... a real gossip: you could ask her anything and she’d tell you."</p> <p>Elton John also recalled a specific instance where actor Richard Gerge and<span> </span>Rocky’s<span> </span>Sylvester Stallone fighting over Princess Di at one of John’s wedding parties. </p> <p>"Straight away, Gere and Diana seemed very taken with each other," the 72-year-old wrote. </p> <p>It was a rapport that did not go down well with Stallone. </p> <p>"I think he may have turned up to the party with the express intention of picking Diana up, only to find his plans for the evening ruined”. </p> <p>The musician added he was soon having to step in between the two actors who were seen "squaring up to each other, apparently about to settle their differences over Diana by having a fist-fight".</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see Elton John with the royal family.</p>

News

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Why are we seeing so many music documentaries lately?

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Music documentaries about famous singers and musicians are quickly becoming the norm. This is due to movie directors and actors bringing life and providing nostalgia to those who watched the musicians grow up. It also brings music to a new audience who is interested but might not have been born when the musicians were in their prime.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It appears that fans can no longer resist a peek into the backroom world that their favourite musicians inhabited.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, Gennaro Castaldo, of the record label trade association the British Phonographic Industry, isn’t surprised.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“A compelling synergy exists between movies and music,” he told </span><em><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/jul/21/why-music-documentaries-are-all-over-our-screens-beyonce-bob-dylan"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Guardian</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“With a slew of highly anticipated music documentaries either out, or due for release soon, fans can get close to the icons they love, from Led Zeppelin and Leonard Cohen to Beyoncé and PJ Harvey, so we can expect another surge in sales and streams.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He credits the success of Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman to the surge in sales and streams, despite claims that these films are fictionalised and not a realistic account of what the rock stars went through.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The phenomenal success of recent biopics celebrating the work of Queen, Elton John and Abba underline just how fantastic a medium film is for music – culturally but also commercially in terms of the huge global reach it can provide at the cinema and then in the home,” said the BPI’s Castaldo. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Movies provide the perfect emotional context for a piece of music that help to enhance its power and to profoundly resonate with the audience.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“In the process, this can reawaken the public’s love of classic repertoire, or of a particular artist, and encourage the next generation of fans to discover music that is new to them.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, film critic Nick James says that a documentary that is strong on sentiment doesn’t always work.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I prefer a documentary to a rock biopic anyday, but I’m wary of nostalgia,” James said. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Marianne &amp; Leonard</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is heartfelt and honest, but it’s still to a degree in thrall to the ‘sexual revolution’ whose utter destructiveness it chronicles. [Leonard] Cohen comes out of it badly, but we probably need to see those feet of clay.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fans are responding with their wallets, and it’s looking like that’s the way that companies are going to go: fictionalised accounts of their favourite musicians instead of authentic and gritty stories about their imperfect heroes.</span></p>

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“Imagine being attacked for everything you do”: Ellen DeGeneres hits back at Harry and Meghan’s critics

<p>Ellen DeGeneres has joined Elton John and a number of other celebrities in voicing support for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex amid growing criticism of the royal couple’s use of private jets.</p> <p>Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan have come under fire after the British press reported on their trips and<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/08/19/citing-princess-dianas-death-elton-john-blasts-britains-media-coverage-meghan-harry/?noredirect=on" target="_blank">use of private planes</a>. The couple was accused of being hypocritical for going on luxury flights while proclaiming to support environmental causes.</p> <p>DeGeneres defended the royal pair in a statement on her social media accounts.</p> <p>The 61-year-old TV host wrote that she “met Prince Harry and Meghan in England to talk about their work on wildlife conservation”.</p> <p>She wrote, “They were the most down-to-earth, compassionate people. Imagine being attacked for everything you do, when all you're trying to do is make the world better.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Portia and I met Prince Harry and Meghan in England to talk about their work on wildlife conservation. They were the most down-to-earth, compassionate people. Imagine being attacked for everything you do, when all you’re trying to do is make the world better. <a href="https://t.co/226pRO1fj1">pic.twitter.com/226pRO1fj1</a></p> — Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheEllenShow/status/1163551594526343168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>DeGeneres’s comment came after<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/international-travel/deeply-distressed-elton-john-defends-harry-and-meghan-against-malicious-tabloids/" target="_blank">singer Sir Elton John slammed the “distorted and malicious account” of the Duke and Duchess’ trips</a>.</p> <p>John said he provided a 12-seater Cessna plane to allow the couple to travel to his home in Nice, France.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">After a hectic year continuing their hard work and dedication to charity, David and I wanted the young family to have a private holiday inside the safety and tranquility of our home. To maintain a high level of much-needed protection, we provided them with a private jet flight.</p> — Elton John (@eltonofficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/eltonofficial/status/1163479335585701889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“After a hectic year continuing their hard work and dedication to charity, [husband] David and I wanted the young family to have a private holiday inside the safety and tranquillity of our home,” he wrote in a series of Twitter posts.</p> <p>“To maintain a high level of much-needed protection, we provided them with a private jet flight.</p> <p>“To support Prince Harry’s commitment to the environment, we ensured their flight was carbon neutral, by making the appropriate contribution to Carbon Footprint™.”</p> <p>John said he felt obliged to provide a private travel option for the royal couple due to the scrutiny that the royal family faces. “Prince Harry’s Mother, Diana Princess Of Wales was one of my dearest friends. I feel a profound sense of obligation to protect Harry and his family from the unnecessary press intrusion that contributed to Diana’s untimely death.”</p> <p>Singer Pink and polo player Nacho Figueras have also come to the Sussexes’ defense.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">I’m happy to see people coming to the defense of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The way people treat her is the most public form of bullying I have seen in a while. It’s out of control. Let’s all be a bit kinder, huh? Let’s show our children that it’s cool to be kind.</p> — P!nk (@Pink) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pink/status/1163658843554893826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">The couple’s close friend and <a href="https://twitter.com/Sentebale?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sentebale</a> ambassador <a href="https://twitter.com/nachofigueras?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nachofigueras</a> has also spoken out: “The press focuses on attacking them and trying to find problems where there are not. I will defend them and what they do and who they are for as long as I live.” <a href="https://t.co/qxfQuP4xEa">pic.twitter.com/qxfQuP4xEa</a></p> — Omid Scobie (@scobie) <a href="https://twitter.com/scobie/status/1163530192024932352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“The way people treat her is the most public form of bullying I have seen in a while. It’s out of control. Let’s all be a bit kinder, huh?” Pink wrote in a Twitter post on Tuesday.</p> <p>Figueras, a friend of the couple and an ambassador for Prince Harry’s charity Sentebale, wrote on his social media accounts: “The press focuses on attacking them and trying to find problems where there are not. I will defend them and what they do and who they are for as long as I live.”</p>

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