Yahoo News Elton John: I was a virgin until 23 and desperate to be loved
Sir Elton John has revealed he was a virgin until he was 23.
The 72-year-old singer has said he is extremely proud of the sex scene between in new biopic Rocketman which stars Taron Egerton as Sir Elton and Bodyguard’s Richard Madden as his manager and lover John Reid.
Sir Elton is quoted by the Mirror saying: “If I am telling my story, it has to be honest.
“I was a virgin until then. I was desperate to be loved and desperate to have a tactile relationship.
“When they tear their clothes off in the movie, that was how it happened. It was in San Francisco.”
The I’m Still Standing star - who has been with husband David Furnish, 56, for 25 years - said he wanted the film to celebrate gay love making.
He said: “I’m so glad it’s in there because I am a gay man and I didn’t want to airbrush it under the carpet.
“This is who I am and I was so joyous. When he is lying in my arms and I’m sitting back with a smile I’m thinking, ‘Ah, I’m normal, I’ve had sex’.
“When I grew up, my father told me if I masturbated I’d go blind. At 13 years of age, I started to have glasses and I went, ‘Oh my God! This is coming true!’” he laughs.
“I’m proud Rocketman is the first major studio film with a gay love sex scene in it. If I’d left it out, I’d have felt I was cheating people.
“If they don’t like it, I understand, but it’s part of who I am. That night was a very, very important part.”
Sir Elton - who is father to sons Zachary, eight, and Elijah, six with husband Furnish - also spoke about his battle with drugs which is also deal with in the movie.
Read more: Watch 'Rocketman' star Taron Egerton sing 'Tiny Dancer' at Elton John's Oscars party
He said: “Even though I was in a terrible state and I was doing a lot of drugs, I still kept working, I still kept making records and still kept touring and the music kept me alive. If I had stopped, I wouldn’t be here. It’s difficult to watch because I thought, ‘God, I don’t want to go back there’.
He says: “There are still parts of being a performer which will lead to the dark side. But it doesn’t last long because I have David and I’ve my children. When my children are around, I never feel dark. I would never have thought I would be in a relationship for 25 years. I couldn’t last with any relationship because drugs came into it.
“When I’m looking at those scenes when I’m alone, that’s how I was. I was in my house just doing cocaine and I was afraid to walk down the stairs. That’s craziness. I’m grateful… life is wonderful. I’d everything going for me, and I nearly threw it all away.”
