Singer Elton John expressed his outrage at discovering allegations that his landline phones were allegedly bugged on behalf of the Daily Mail, stating that the newspaper’s actions were beyond basic human decency standards. John, a renowned artist famous for songs like “Rocket Man” and “Your Song,” is currently in a legal battle with Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail, along with his husband David Furnish, Prince Harry, and four others over claims of widespread privacy breaches.
Associated Newspapers has refuted the accusations of phone hacking and other illicit activities, asserting that their stories were sourced from publicly available information or legitimate channels like the social circles of celebrities. They have dismissed the allegations as baseless smears.
During his testimony via video link, John revealed that he only became aware of the alleged misconduct by the Daily Mail when his close friend, actress Elizabeth Hurley, who is also a claimant in the case, informed him. Hurley had been informed by a private investigator that John’s landline phones were compromised while she was visiting him shortly after the birth of her child.
The credibility of the evidence from the private investigator has become a central point of contention in the legal proceedings, as the investigator initially supported the claimants but later retracted his statement, raising doubts about its authenticity.
Expressing his indignation at the situation, John, with a successful music career spanning over six decades and sales exceeding 300 million records, emphasized the severity of the breach. He disclosed that his three landline phones were allegedly hacked during Hurley’s stay, a revelation that left him furious.
John, who clarified that he doesn’t own a mobile phone, stressed his frustration at the violation of his privacy. He apologized for not being able to attend the court proceedings in person due to vision issues.
In response to questioning from Associated’s lawyer Catrin Evans regarding specific articles published between 2002 and 2015, John defended his stance, stating that his friends do not divulge information to the press, preserving their friendships. He criticized the defense’s focus on trivial matters and urged attention to the significant wrongdoings allegedly committed by Associated.
One of the articles that John and Furnish are contesting pertains to a 2010 piece about the couple’s surrogacy and the premature disclosure of their son’s birth certificate by the Mail. John expressed deep distress at the invasion of their privacy, particularly regarding his medical health and the birth of their son Zachary, deeming it a blatant violation of human decency.
John’s testimony marks the final phase of evidence presentation in the ongoing trial, which is set to conclude in the coming weeks.
