"Not much of me left": Elton John's grim health confession
Elton John has made a blunt admission about his health battles.
The 77-year-old singer opened up about his many health issues in a speech at the screening of his new documentary Elton John: Never Too Late, at the New York Film Festival on Tuesday.
“To be honest with you, there’s not much of me left,” Elton told the audience.
“I don’t have tonsils, adenoids or an appendix,” he continued, according to People magazine.
“I don’t have a prostate. I don’t have a right hip or a left knee or a right knee. In fact, the only thing left to me is my left hip.
“But I’m still here,” Elton continued. “And I can’t thank you [enough], you’re the people that made me.”
The documentary is directed by his husband David Furnish, and American filmmaker R.J. Cutler.
Throughout the years Elton has struggled with his health, and just last month he revealed he was recovering from a "severe eye infection" that affected his vision.
This occured after he underwent knee and hip replacement surgery.
The I'm Still Standing singer also got a pacemaker fitted in back in the 90s, and was hospitalised for influenza and a bacterial infection in 2009.
In 2013 he had an abscess on his appendix, and three years later he had suffered from "gastric flu".
In addition to all of these health woes he has dealt with hearing loss caused by years of touring.
The singer also talked about his retirement from touring at the premiere of his new documentary, following a successful five years of performances and more than 300 shows worldwide.
“As you know, I decided to stop touring because I’m 77 years of age,” he said.
“I’ve done all there is to do, to play. I’ve succeeded. I’ve been there and I’ve done it.”
The documentary explores his 50-year career leading up to his final North American show at Dodger Stadium in 2022. It is set to stream on Disney+ in the US on December 13.
ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA-EFE/ Shutterstock Editorial