Sir Elton John says fame has been ‘a curse’ after battling addictions

Sir Elton John has admitted he finds fame a “curse” after years battling drug and alcohol addictions.

The globally famous artist, whose mother recently passed away, says he turned to substance abuse to deal with the intensity of his celebrity.

Sir Elton made the admission as he was announced as a winner of the 24th World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award alongside Cate Blanchett and Shah Rukh Khan.

Sir Elton John (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Writing for the World Economic Forum ahead of its annual conference, Sir Elton confessed: “My essential humanity began to dissolve into an excess of drugs and alcohol.

“Fame, which at first sight looks like a blessing, soon revealed itself as also a curse.

“I am afraid I reacted very badly. I became a loathsome person – selfish, self-centred, and disconnected.

“That amounts to a painful second lesson, one I learnt by doing it all wrong.”

Elton John’s AIDS Foundation has raised more than $385 million for HIV- and AIDS-related programs (Getty)

Sharing his leadership tips ahead of the economics conference, he added: “A good leader has a moral integrity that survives both success and failure.”

Sir Elton previously admitted to ‘wasting’ years of his life on addictions.
Speaking to the Today show the Tiny Dancer singer said he was “consumed by cocaine, booze and who knows what else” earlier in his career.