Elton John makes mortality admission: “I don’t know how much time I have left”
In a clip taken from his upcoming documentary, Elton John candidly discusses his mortality, and admits he doesn’t know how much longer he’ll live.
John made the statement in the new film, Elton John: Never Too Late?, which is set to premiere on Disney+ on December 13th. The fly-on-the-wall documentary looks back on John’s 50-year career, charting his rise to fame and the tribulations he’s faced along the way, including the story of his farewell performance at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in 2022.
The ‘Rocket Man’ singer speaks openly about his retirement from performing, which came in 2023. Shortly after his headline performance at Glastonbury Festival, John concluded his European tour in Stockholm, and has vowed to never tour again.
Naturally, the end of his career as a touring artist made John evaluate his life as a musician and consider the future. Speaking backstage from the dressing room at the Dodger Stadium, John says in the documentary: “I wonder what is going to happen to all of this stuff when I finish? This is the latter time of my life. I don’t know how much time I have left.”
The 77-year-old continued: “You think about that more when you get to my age. You think about life and, er, and death. You think, ‘Well, I just want to be where I want to be now.'”
John has been retired from touring for over 12 months, but he’s remained busy. In the film, he discusses the strain of constantly being on the move from city to city, stating, “I don’t have to work after this. I will work and do records and put radio shows together, but travelling takes so much out of you.”
“It is very tiring. I am used to it. I am a veteran at it but this is where you start to think about mortality,” Elton added.
Elton John’s recent health update
Over the years, Elton has had several severe health problems, which he recently addressed at the premiere of Elton John: Never Too Late in London, telling those in attendance, “To be honest with you, there’s not much of me left.”
The icon continued, “I don’t have tonsils, adenoids or an appendix. 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 of me is my left hip.” However, on a more positive note, he also joyously shared, “But I’m still here.”
In September, John shared news of a vicious eye infection which had left him, with limited vision in one eye. Reportedly, this infection had been ailing John throughout the summer season, and he’s still in the recovery stage.
Posting a statement to his social media channels, John wrote, “I am healing, but it’s an extremely slow process and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye.” Adding, “I am so grateful for the excellent team of doctors and nurses and my family, who have taken such good care of me over the last several weeks.”
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