Elton John admits he was 'beat until I bled' during 'abusive' childhood

Elton John has released a brand new tell-all documentary about his life and in the one-off special, the singer opens up about his childhood and his parents

Elton John, the legendary music artist who has enchanted fans for years with his extraordinary singing and songwriting skills, has just unveiled an intimate documentary shedding light on his life, named Elton John: Never Too Late, which debuted today on Disney+ (Friday 13 December).

In this candid one-off film, the singer delves into his younger years, revealing that being raised by his parents was far from idyllic.

He shared with honesty: “My father and my mother, I don’t know if they were ever in love with one another, there were lots of arguments, both of them I was frightened of, they were abusive, they were violent, they were physically violent.”

He recounted disturbing details from his upbringing: “I used to walk on eggshells thinking in case I did anything wrong. My mother, when I was a year old, she beat me till I bled with a wire brush to make me potty trained.”

Regarding his father, he said: “My dad, when I was playing football and the ball went on the garden instead of on the grass, it was hell to pay.”

The singer shares all in his new telling documentary(Image: No credit)

The now father of two confided about the pervasive fear that marred his childhood, fearing punishment for any mistakes, reports the Mirror.

He revealed: “My mum said ‘It didn’t do you any harm’ and I’d say, ‘God you have no idea’. To be reprimanded and walloped on the street, in front of people, it stays with you. My whole childhood was full of fear.”

Spending much time in his imagination while his parents fought, Elton John spoke of valuing what little he had: “I spent a lot of time in fantasy land while my parents were arguing, I cherished the things that I had.”

Elton John: Never Too Late is now streaming on Disney+(Image: No credit)

Elton grew up in Pinner, Middlesex; the son of Stanley Dwight and Sheila Eileen, he was raised in a council house primarily by his maternal grandparents. Following his parents’ divorce when he was 14, Elton’s mother married local painter Fred Farebrother, who proved to be a caring and supportive stepfather.

Fondly, Elton nicknamed him “Derf”, a playful reversal of Fred’s name, and their relationship blossomed. Sadly, Elton’s biological father, Stanley, passed away from cardiovascular disease in 1991, whereas his mother, Sheila, died in 2017 at 92 years old after battling an undisclosed illness.

The pair had only recently started to mend their connection after being estranged for some time due to a family rift, and her passing left the iconic musician reeling from the loss.

Elton John: Never Too Late is streaming on Disney+ now

Source link