Elton John told the High Court in London that both his publicist and his official website provided «completely wrong» information about his health, as he gave evidence in a privacy case against the Daily Mail.
The singer, 78, is challenging a 2009 article that reported he cancelled tour dates after being hospitalised with E. coli and flu. Sir Elton said the account was inaccurate, insisting he did not suffer a bacterial infection and that the details attributed to his illness were incorrect.
Lawyers for Sir Elton allege journalists unlawfully obtained his private medical information through practices including voicemail hacking, phone tapping and deception. The newspaper denies the claims, arguing the article was based on information published on Sir Elton’s own website and statements from his then publicist, Gary Farrow.
Giving evidence, Sir Elton said both sources were wrong.
«I didn’t have a bacterial infection, so Mr Farrow got it completely wrong,» he told the court, adding that he was «very, very ill» and suffering from a more serious condition than reported.
The case is part of a wider legal action involving several public figures, including Prince Harry, against Associated Newspapers, which publishes the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday. The publisher denies all allegations of unlawful information gathering.
Sir Elton and his husband David Furnish are bringing claims over multiple articles they say relied on improperly obtained information. The trial is ongoing.
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