Sir Elton John has accused the publisher of the Daily Mail of an 'abhorrent' invasion of his privacy, alleging that private investigators working for Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL) tapped his phone calls and accessed his private medical information. The singer, 78, appeared briefly via video link at the High Court on Friday, stating he was 'incensed' by the revelations.
John and his husband, David Furnish, are among seven claimants, including Prince Harry and Doreen Lawrence, taking civil action against ANL. They complain about 10 articles covering the birth of their son Zachary, the cost of their wedding, and John's health, as well as two episodes of unlawful information gathering that did not result in publication.
In a written submission, John said: 'From a personal level, I have found the Mail's deliberate invasion into my medical health, and medical details surrounding the birth of our son Zachary abhorrent and outside even the most basic standards of human decency.' He added that documents showed the Mail was 'digging into me during times when I was in hospital' and around the birth of their son, including details about their egg donor, embryos, and questions of paternity.
ANL denies all allegations, with its legal team describing the claims as 'groundless and unsupported by the evidence before the court'. The company's barrister, Catrin Evans KC, suggested the articles were obtained legitimately from public statements, spokespeople, or previous coverage, and that the couple's 'wider social milieu' may have provided information. John countered: 'My friends do not talk to the press and that is why they're still my friends, to put it bluntly.'
The case centres on a disputed confession from private investigator Gavin Burrows, who allegedly targeted John and Furnish's phone calls and hacked their gardener's voicemails. Burrows now claims the signed 2021 statement outlining his alleged unlawful acts for ANL is a forgery. Legal wrangling continues over whether he will give evidence.
