Sir Elton John welled up as he watched Prince William and Kate Middleton marry yesterday (29.04.11)

The ‘Tiny Dancer’ singer was one of a handful of celebrity guests invited into Westminster Abbey in London to see the royal couple wed, and as he watched the union, he appeared almost moved to tears.

Elton was sat next to his husband, David Furnish, in the front row of the Abbey for the proceedings. The singer was a close friend of William’s mother Diana, and performed at her funeral after her death in a car crash in 1997.

Other celebrities among the wedding’s 1,900 guests included soccer star David Beckham and his wife Victoria, invited after David worked closely with the prince on England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup. The couple described the ceremony as “beautiful and heartfelt,” before adding to BBC news: “Catherine looked wonderfully elegant, and we were honoured to be part of such a special, historical day for our country.

“We wish Catherine and William much love and happiness for the future.” Also in attendance at the wedding were film director Guy Ritchie, actor Rowan Atkinson and singer Joss Stone.

Many celebrities took to twitter to pay their respects to the happy couple, including singer George Michael, who had recorded a version of Stevie Wonder’s track ‘You and I’ as a present for the couple.

During the wedding service he tweeted: “One word… Class (sic).” Model and actress Kelly Brook admitted the wedding stirred her emotions, tweeting: “I cried all the way through!! I cried when they
opened the doors to Westminster Abbey!! Stunning (sic).”

‘California Gurls’ singer Katy Perry decided to pay her own tribute by decorating her nails with different pictures of William and Kate. She posted the picture with an accompanying tweet reading: “In honor of the Royal Wedding, I present you… My royal NAILS! CONGRATS
(sic).”

Former Spice Girls singer Emma Bunton also wished the couple well, writing: “Absolutely beautiful couple!!! They look exquisite!”

Source: BANG Showbiz

Katie Price has thanked Sir Elton John for introducing her to her new boyfriend.

The British TV star met Argentinean polo player Leandro Penna at an Oscars party hosted by the singer and his husband David Furnish in Los Angeles in February and the mother-of-three will always be indebted to them because she’s so happy.

She wrote on twitter page: “we are so compatible we cant thank Elton John and David Furnish enough xx (sic)”

Katie – who is in the process of divorcing second husband Alex Reid, who she split from in January – is currently in Cordoba, Argentina, with Leandro, where she has been introduced to his parents Mercedes and Hector.

Tweeting about their meeting, she said: “great time great day great family leo is a true gent (sic)”

It seems Katie has become very taken with Argentina and has even started to learn Spanish.

She gushed in a tweet written in Spanish, which has been translated: “I love Cordoba … I’m fascinated with this province! The perfect Combrecita. (sic)”

She even wrote “Katie Io amo” meaning “I love him”.

Although she is now gushing about Leandro, 25, just a few weeks ago Katie, 32, was adamant she was taking things slowly with her new man.

She revealed: “We’re just getting to know each other, in fact I wanted to be single after Alex, but I ended up meeting Leo, but we’re just getting to know each other now.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

Lady Gaga will be Godmother to Sir Elton John and David Furnish’s baby boy, Zachary

Film producer David let slip in a recent interview that the couple are lining up the eccentric singer to play an important role in the life of their two-month-old son, who was born on Christmas Day (25.12.10) via a surrogate mother.

When asked about rumours they would choose Gaga by Canadian website macleans.ca, he replied: “We haven’t publicly confirmed that yet but your sources are very good!

“I prefer not to comment on it because we are going to make a statement about Godparents later on.”

Elton and Gaga struck up a friendship after performing together at the Grammy Awards in 2010, and David further praised the singer – who composed her latest track ‘Born This Way’ about social inclusion and has called it a “gay anthem” – for her broad-mindedness and personal connection to her fans.

He said: “She’s all about inclusiveness and tolerance. She believes that you can be whoever you want to be and that we don’t have to live in a world of conformity and that we can all benefit from individuality.

“That’s the best message in the world. The freedom to be who you are, do what you want and love who you want to love.”

David, 48, also explained how this message is what he feels makes Gaga an ideal role model for Zachary.

He added: “Elton and I don’t talk about what we hope Zachary grows up to be — musician, doctor or whatever. We just hope he grows up to be happy and that he’s able to do what he wants to do in life and has the freedom to take whatever path.”

David is a Godparent himself, to Elizabeth Hurley’s eight-year-old son Damian, while Elton is Godfather to Victoria and David Beckham’s eldest two sons, Brooklyn, 11 and eight-year-old Romeo.

Source: BANG Showbiz

Sir Elton John’s drug habit nearly killed him

The legendary musician – who has battled alcohol and cocaine addictions, as well as the eating disorder bulimia in the past – admitted his “tragic” life come “very close” to ending at the height of his drug problem.

When asked how close his addictions came to killing him, Elton replied: “Very close. I mean, I would have an epileptic seizure and turn blue, and people would find me on the floor and put me to bed, and then 40 minutes later I’d be snorting another line.

“This is how bleak it was, I’d stay up, I’d smoke joints, I’d drink a bottle of Johnnie Walker and then I’d stay up for three days and then I’d go to sleep for a day and a half, get up, and because I was so hungry, because I hadn’t eaten anything, I’d binge and have like three bacon sandwiches, a pot of ice cream and then I’d throw it up, because I became bulimic and then go and do the whole thing all over again.

“That is how tragic my life was.”

The 63-year-old singer – who suffered from a drug overdose in 1975 – admitted despite his vices, he never considered himself to be a drug addict.

Speaking to Piers Morgan as part of his ‘Life Stories’ series, Elton added: “I’m not being flippant when I say that when I look back I shudder at the behaviour and what I was doing to myself. It just takes over your whole psyche, this stuff.

“I never considered myself a drug addict, I thought drug addicts were people who stuck needles in their arms. And I was the biggest junkie there was.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

Sir Elton John says he is “too old” to change his music

The 63-year-old pop star is a huge fan of dance records and is always on the look-out for new artists but he would never record an electronic LP because it wouldn’t suit his style.

Elton – who is famous for his piano-inspired sound – said: “I’m always listening to new music. I really love electronic and dance stuff, like Royksopp and Robyn. But I could never do stuff like that because I’m 63 and too old. If I ever tried I wouldn’t be true to myself.”

Although he is a huge fan of modern music the flamboyant songwriter still enjoys listening to older artists and admits The Rolling Stones are one of his favourite rock bands of all-time.

Elton – whose new LP ‘The Union is a collaboration with singer-songwriter Leon Russell - explained: “The Rolling Stones album ‘Exile On Main St’ is one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll records ever made. It was done live, so it’s very loose, a little rough around the edges and isn’t always in perfect time. But that’s the beauty of it, the qualities that make it special.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

Stephen Gately’s family will scatter his ashes on the first anniversary of his death

The ceremony will be held at a secret location in Ireland on October 10 and will be attended by his bandmate Keith Duffy, who has revealed he will be laid to rest in “one of his favourite places”.

The rest of the band – Ronan Keating, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch – will be in Australia at the time.

Stephen died at his home in Majorca aged 33 from an undiagnosed heart condition.

His bandmates were heavily involved in the arrangements for his body to be returned to the group’s native Ireland and stayed with him overnight at St Laurence O’Toole’s church in Dublin, where his funeral was held, because they didn’t want Stephen to be alone.

They also organised a 12-hour wake for him which was attended by fellow Irish boy band Westlife, members of Take That and Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish.

After the wake Shane said: “We gave Stephen the farewell he deserved. We all deal with grief in our own way, and this was our way.

“It was a brilliant night, fitting for a brilliant person. We will never forget him.”

The band also named their fourth album ‘Brother’ in tribute to him.

Stephen’s civil partner Andrew Cowles received £1 million from his estate after his death, as he did not have a will, although Andrew has said he wanted the money to go to either his family or charity.

Sir Elton John has given Lady Gaga a vintage tea set.

The ‘Rocket Man’ hitmaker wanted to show the ‘Poker Face’ singer his appreciation after she performed at his White Tie and Tiara ball on Thursday night (24.06.10) and soon found the perfect gift when he gave her a tour of the home he shares with partner David Furnish.

A source told The Sun newspaper: “Gaga had a tour of his home and was awestruck by his china collection. She kept complimenting him on it.

“He was tickled by her fascination so presented her with a set.

“She was thrilled with the present. It was a vintage set and probably worth quite a lot of money.”

The ball – which was attended by guests including Peter Andre, Liz Hurley, David Walliams and his new wife Lara Stone –raised over £5.6 million for the 63-year-old singer’s AIDS Foundation.

Gaga – whose real name is Stefani Germanotta – famously carries her own china teacup and saucer everywhere with her and refuses to drink out of anything else.

Last year, she spent over £35 on a taxi ride to retrieve the crockery after accidentally leaving them in a restaurant.

Following the attention her obsession with the cup received, the eccentric singer admitted she was “jealous” of it.

She said: “My teacup is so famous. I yelled at her today I said, ‘You’re stealing my thunder go to bed!’

“You know now it’s a gimmick and it’s just my teacup. That’s my teacup that I like to take everywhere it makes me feel at home. It’s become a celebrity.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

The Boyzone singer – who separated from his wife Yvonne last week following revelations of an affair with backing dancer Francine Cornell – was told to leave his £2.5 million home north of Dublin, Ireland, after he flew in from Switzerland, where he had been performing solo shows.

A source close to the Irish star told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “Ronan is praying the separation is only that and doesn’t translate into a divorce. He is desperate to make amends.”

He is also said to have dismissed suggestions Francine was anything more than a casual relationship.

According to the Daily Star newspaper, he told friends: “She meant nothing – it was just a fling and a mistake.

“It’s cost me the thing most dear to me in the world. I’ve wrecked everything. I just hope it’s not too late.”

Meanwhile, Yvonne is said to be considering forgiving her cheating husband, but is going to make him sweat until Christmas time.

A source told The Sun newspaper: “It will take up to six months but they’ll get there. She will not tolerate any more nonsense now and he will have to earn her trust all over again.

“It will be on her terms and she is likely to ask him to cut down on his hectic workload and devote more time to his family.”

Ronan, 33, has now taken the couple’s three children, Jack, 11, Marie, nine, and Ali, four, on a trip to the exclusive K Club in County Kildare, Ireland, where he was spotted playing golf flanked by minders.

Source: BANG Showbiz

Ronan Keating’s lover was “indiscreet” about their affair.

The Boyzone singer’s relationship with backing dancer Francine Cornell had reportedly become an “open secret” and she had told her friends about the romance.

A source told The Sun newspaper: “Francine had become quite indiscreet. She told more than one friend this year she couldn’t date other men as she was with Ronan.

“It was as if she wanted people to know. By that time they’d been having an affair for months – it had become an open secret in the dancing community.”

Francine even dumped her previous boyfriend Nick Robbins in October 2009 when things began to get more intense with Ronan.

Nick’s dad Royston told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “I think they’d discussed marriage. She moved into his Chelsea flat and was really pleased when she began working for Ronan.

“Nick told me she was already receiving texts from Ronan. Next thing I heard, she’d told Nick that she wanted to end things.”

Meanwhile, Ronan kept a low-profile between performances in Switzerland over the weekend.

A backing dancer for the ‘Life is a Rollercoaster’ singer said: “We’ve hardly seen him and he’s hardly said a word.

“As soon as he came off stage on Saturday (22.05.10) he just said, ‘God, that was tough – I just want to go home.’ ”

The 33-year-old singer – who has three children, Jack, 11, Marine, nine and Ali, four, with his model wife – is now heading back to Dublin to try and reconcile with Yvonne, who threw him out of the family home last week following the affair revelations.

A friend said: “He’s in bits – embarrassed and ashamed. He’s saying he’ll do whatever it takes to get Yvonne back. He’ll beg on his knees.”

However, a pal of Yvonne’s said she is unlikely to give into him easily.

The source said: “She isn’t going to crumble on this. They had a pact never to cheat. Ronan really has little hope of saving the marriage.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

Francine Cornell is a 26-year-old beautiful blonde dancer who met Ronan during last year’s Boyzone tour. She has an uncanny resemblance with Yvonne Keating in her youth. Yvonne, who has been married to the Boyzone star for 12 years,  recently discovered a secret mobile phone containing flirty text messages from Francine. This leads to a disaster that has shocked every woman’s heart and has almost grounded Ronan’s faithful image.

It is rumoured that Francine Cornell dumped her long-term boyfriend Nick Robbins in October,  after getting continuous text messages from Ronan all day long.

According to the Sunday Mirror Nick’s father Royston said:  “They had been together for three years. I think they had discussed marriage. He took her all over the world on holidays. ”

“She moved into his Chelsea flat and he helped her career. He boosted her confidence and encouraged her to go to auditions. He was really pleased for her when she began working with Ronan. ”

“I remember thinking something didn’t seem right with Francine. Nick had remarked to me and to his brother Andrew that she was working with Ronan Keating and that she seemed to be always receiving text messages from him.”

“He didn’t seem to be jealous about it, he just thought there were rather a lot of them. The next thing I heard was that she had told him, in front of all their friends on holiday, that she wanted to end things. It was October 25, Nick’s 30th birthday.”

The statement on Keating’s website  said: “With great sadness Ronan and Yvonne Keating today announce their separation. The separation is amicable and they will continue to work together in order to provide the best for their children.”

Ronan  married Yvonne in 1998, after his beloved mother Marie died from breast cancer, they have three children -Jack, 11, Marie, nine and Ali, four.  Ronan has paid visits to his family priest to confess his sins and seek forgiveness.

Ronan Keating Wants to save his marriage

The Boyzone singer is distraught to think his 12-year union to wife Yvonne could be over following her discovery he has been having an affair with backing dancer Francine Cornell and has cancelled all work commitments for the next three weeks in a bid to save his relationship.

The 33-year-old singer performed with his bandmates at the SkyDance music festival in Zurich, Switzerland, on Friday (21.05.10) but is now flying back to the family home in Dublin, Ireland, to try and convince Yvonne, 36, to give their marriage another chance.

According to the News of the World newspaper, Ronan told a friend: “I’m devastated. I know what I did was wrong. I feel terrible about what this has done to Yvonne. But I’m not prepared to give up on my marriage. I’ve cancelled everything and I’m going back to Dublin to make this work.”

Despite Ronan’s hopes, Yvonne – who has three children, Jack, 11, Marie, nine and Ali, four, with the pop star – is completely devastated by the revelations and although she is prepared to meet with her husband he will not move back into the family home.

A source said: “Yvonne is completely shocked, upset and hurt. This has hit her very hard and she’s not ready to even think about a future with Ronan. At the moment she feels betrayed and she can’t see a way back.”

The ‘Lost For Words’ singer is alleged to have been having an affair with Francine, 26, for seven months after meeting her when she was employed as a dancer on Boyzone’s UK tour last year.

He is said to have fallen for her and endlessly bombarded her with text messages when they were apart.

A source told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: “The affair had been going on for around seven months. It was broken off a couple of times but not for long as Ronan can’t stay away from her. He’s obsessed with Francine – besotted.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

Ronan Keating’s wife allegedly found flirty text messages on a secret mobile phone hidden in a bag.

Yvonne – who has been married to the Boyzone star for 12 years – confronted the singer about the secret phone, leading to a confession of an affair with dancer Francine Cornell.

A source told the Sun newspaper: “Yvonne confronted Ronan with a phone – there was nothing he could say. “She ordered him to leave the family home and told him the marriage was over. She’d heard whispers and rumours about him cheating with Francine during the tour. The dancing on stage was very raunchy, but she’d got used to that over the years and trusted him.

“When she saw the texts on the secret phone she was devastated. She realised he’d been lying. The bottom just fell out of her world. Ronan could only admit what had happened and take it. They agreed to put out a joint statement about their separation.”

The pair have three children -Jack, 11, Marie, nine and Ali, four – and announced in the statement earlier this week their split would be “amicable”. Friends of Ronan’s have revealed their shock of the split – Andrew Coles, the widower of Ronan’s bandmate Stephen Gately, said he had seen no cracks in their relationship.

He told BANG Showbiz: “I didn’t see any signs that they would break up. I sent them both lovely messages, as they’re both friends, and it’s sad because they were a great couple.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

Ronan Keating’s friend is amazed by his marriage split.

The Boyzone singer – who has three children, Jack, 11, Marie, nine and Ali, four, with his model wife Yvonne – announced his break-up yesterday (20.05.10), much to the amazement of Andrew Cowles, who never saw any sign of cracks in the relationship.

Andrew – the widower of Ronan’s bandmate Stephen Gately – said: “I didn’t see any signs that they would break up. I sent them both lovely messages, as they’re both friends, and it’s sad because they were a great couple.”

Andrew also spoke of his delight that his late husband’s new book ‘The Tree of Seasons’ – which Stephen was pages off finishing when he died – has made the best-sellers list in its first week of release.

Speaking at the Caudwell Children Butterfly Ball in London’s Battersea Park, Andrew told BANG Showbiz: “I had a text from Ronan last night when the charts came out –but he couldn’t make it to the celebrations.

“I’m loving it, it’s great to see it in real book shops, Stephen would have been so happy.”

The book features a foreword from Sir Elton John and David Furnish, and was completed by Stephen’s close friends and family using the detailed notes he left about how he wanted his children’s fantasy novel to end.

Source: BANG Showbiz

Francine Cornell is a 26-year-old beautiful blonde dancer.

Cornell, 5ft 5inches tall, is skilled in Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Pas de deux & lift work, Pointe work, Contemporary, Singing, Acting. Miss Cornell, who has blue eyes, is believed to hail originally from Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Singer Rufus Wainwright – who sought guidance from the ‘Rocket Man’ hitmaker in 2000 when he was struggling with an addiction to crystal meth – claimed the flamboyant star is very quiet away from his public persona and has little belief in his own abilities.

He said: “I don’t think people are aware of how shy he is. He’s a bit like the Wizard of Oz. On the one hand there’s this big pomp and circumstance, but really beneath it all there’s this very sweet little guy who’s constantly feeling very insignificant, which is ironic of course. What I’m saying is, he’s quite shy.”

While the 36-year-old star claims it was Elton who persuaded him to seek therapy for drug addiction, his problems got so bad, he even temporarily went blind.

Rufus added to Q magazine: “I lost my sight for one or two hours. I can’t quite gauge it exactly. During that period of losing my sight, I was also losing my mind. I could feel my sanity lifting off, and I wasn’t sure it would come back again. But it did and thankfully I’m still here today.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

The celebrity couple – who married in a lavish civil ceremony in 2005 – have 10 godchildren between them and plan to spend the Christmas period visiting their loved ones.

David Furnish, 47, said: “We’re going to Venice! We have an apartment there.

“We’ll try and see them all in the lead up to Christmas. I saw Damien Hurley, Elizabeth’s son at the weekend. And I had dinner with the Beckhams two weeks ago, and I saw Brooklyn there.”

David also said he and Elton – who are fighting to adopt a tot from the Ukraine – have spent lots of money on presents for the celebrity kids, because they don’t yet have their own.

He said: “All the godchildren will be very well looked after!”

Source: BANG Showbiz

The ‘When Love Takes Over’ singer has demanded that there be no chocolate at her concert for Sir Elton John this weekend because she is obsessed with the sugary treat.

To make sure that she doesn’t succumb to her sweet-toothed craving she has also asked for a hypnotist to be backstage.

Kelly is set to perform a medley of her former band Destiny’s Child’s hits at the Elton John Aids Foundation winter party.

It is not the first time that Kelly has been worried about what she is eating.

Last month, the 28-year-old admitted she is inspired to stay slim when she sees girls in Miami looking good.

She said: “When I look outside there are these little shirts and shorts on these women around Miami Beach. It’s extremely fly and it makes me want to put my little shorts on.”

She also admitted that when she gets lazy she treats herself to burgers, ice cream and cookies.

Source: BANG Showbiz

The legendary pop star – who married his long-term lover David Furnish in a civil partnership ceremony in 2005 – has been declared the male most respected by homosexuals, while the late actress Judy Garland was named the most iconic female.

The male list was predominantly made up of gay men – including late Queen singer Freddie Mercury, British TV star Stephen Fry and ‘Faith’ hitmaker George Michael – apart from soccer hunk David Beckham, who is married to Victoria Beckham.

Meanwhile, the female list was full of glamorous female stars – including singers Kylie Minogue, Madonna and Cher – rather than famous lesbians.

A spokesperson from www.OnePoll.com – who commissioned the survey of over 5,000 gay men and women – said: “Interestingly only one of the men in the top 10 list of male celebrity gay icons isn’t gay – David Beckham. And yet most of the women put on a pedestal by the gay community are straight.

“It just shows that to advocate a certain way of living, you don’t have to live the lifestyle but simply be more accepting of those around you.”

British TV star Paul O’Grady made both lists – as himself and cross-dressing alter ego Lily Savage.

Top Ten Male Celebrity Gay Icons of All Time:

1. Elton John

2. Freddie Mercury

3. Stephen Fry

4. George Michael

5. Oscar Wilde

6. Will Young

7. Alan Carr

8. Paul O’Grady

9. Boy George

10. David Beckham

Top Ten Female Celebrity Gay Icons:

1. Judy Garland

2. Kylie Minogue

3. Madonna

4. Cher

5. Liza Minnelli

6. Marilyn Monroe

7. Shirley Bassey

8. Lily Savage

9. Dusty Springfield

10. Barbra Streisand

Source: BANG Showbiz

The legendary pop star and his husband David Furnish have been asked to intervene and help the ‘Faith’ singer tackle his drug problems and penchant for casual sex.

David revealed: “They keep calling us and saying, ‘You have to do something, George is in a bad way.’

“George has to want help himself and if he wants help, then we’re here for him.

“If he doesn’t want help, that’s his choice too or if he doesn’t think he needs help then that’s also fine.”

George – who has openly spoken about his drug use and love of cottaging, meeting men anonymously for casual sex -  recently spoke out about his frustration with ‘Candle in the Wind’ singer Elton for voicing his concerns over the way he lives his life.

He said: “Elton will not be happy until I bang on his door in the middle of the night saying, ‘Please, please, help me, Elton. Take me to rehab.’ It’s not going to happen.”

However, David claims he and Elton have only offered the former Wham! singer their support because they get asked to intervene so regularly.

He explained to BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Victoria Derbyshire: “We’re only reacting to what his close friends are saying to us.  A lot of people are saying it to us, we get it very regularly.

“They’re saying they’re concerned about his health, concerned about his state of mind and his well-being and because Elton has been there and experienced sobriety now for 19 years, that perhaps he’s in the best position to help him.”

Source: BANG Showbiz