Elton John said he is blind during a gala performance of his new musical The Devil Wears Prada
Sir Elton John has revealed that he has lost his eyesight in a heartbreaking admission about his health.
The ‘Rocket Man’ singer, 77, said in September that he thought he was ‘healing’ after suffering an eye infection impacting his ability to record music.
“It’s an extremely slow process and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye”, he explained in a post on Instagram.
Elton John said he is blind during a gala performance of his new musical The Devil Wears Prada (Dave Benett/Getty Images for The Devil Wears Prada Musical)
When asked about his upcoming album with Bernie Taupin, he also told Good Morning America: “I don’t know. It’s been a while since I’ve done anything, and well, I just have to get off my backside.
“I unfortunately lost my eyesight in my right eye in July because I had an infection in the south of France and it’s been four months now since I haven’t been able to see, and my left eye is not the greatest.
“So there’s hope and encouragement that it will be OK, but it’s…
Sir Elton John has revealed that he has lost his eyesight in a heartbreaking admission about his health (Cameron Smith/Getty Images)
“I’m kind of stuck at the moment, because I can do something like this (an interview), but going into the studio and recording, I don’t know, because I can’t see a lyric for a start.”
However, on Sunday evening (1 December), John took to the stage at London’s Dominion Theatre to confirm that his eyesight has gone.
During a gala performance of his new musical ‘The Devil Wears Prada’, he thanked husband David Furnish, ‘who has been my rock’.
“As some of you may know I have had issues and now I have lost my sight”, he admitted.
“I haven’t been able to see the performance but I have enjoyed it.
New documentary Elton John: Never Too Late will be out later this month (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Elton John AIDS Foundation)
“To my husband who’s been my rock because I haven’t been able to come to many of the previews…
“It’s hard for me to see it but I love to hear it and it sounded good tonight OK. Thank you for coming.”
The musician also provided a sad health update in his upcoming Disney+ doc Elton John: Never Too Late, according to Radio Times.
“I want to see our children get married, but I don’t think I’m going to be around for that”, he said.
“That really upset me, because in my mind I sort of think Elton is going to live for ever – we all think that – and Elton is so vibrant that it’s an easy thing to believe, but it forces you to confront that reality”, David added.
John and Furnish have been married since 2014 and share two children together, Zachary and Elijah.
Elton John: Never Too Late will be available to stream on 13 December on Disney+.