Elton John's oven overdose

Aug 15, 2007, 13:00 GMT

Elton John performs live at the Villalba International Jazz Festival held on 03 July 2007 in Collado Villalba, outskirts of Madrid, Spain. EPA/SERGIO BARRENECHEA

Sir Elton John once tried to commit suicide by putting his head in a gas oven.

The 'Rocket Man' singer's main lyricist Bernie Taupin walked in on the suicide attempt, which took place when the now openly gay singer was set to marry.

A new Elton biography claims: "Bernie once walked in on Elton trying to commit suicide when he was about to marry a woman named Linda Woodrow. Elton had stuck his head in the oven. But Bernie couldn't stop laughing.

"Elton had set the gas on low with all the windows open. What's more, he was resting his head on a pillow."

Another of the 'Candle in the Wind' singer's songwriting partners, Gary Osborne, reveals he once cancelled his Christmas plans when Elton called him, weeping because his then-boyfriend, Charles, hadn't shown up.

Osborne is quoted in David Buckley's 'Elton: The Biography' as saying: "I walked into the kitchen and there was this huge turkey with one slice out of it and a massive cake, again with one slice out of it. And there was Elton in tears."

Osborne claims Elton lay in bed in a hotel room for weeks refusing to see most people.

He also recalls the time his son broke a precious Tiffany lamp belonging to Elton.

He said: "Elton collected Tiffany lamps. There was one in particular that he told us had cost $15,000. My kid was running through the room, tripped on the wire and smashed it to smithereens.

"Elton picked Luke up and cuddled him and said, 'Don't worry darling, it's only a thing. You can always replace things. It's only people you can't replace.' "

The 60-year-old singer is now in a civil partnership with long-term lover David Furnish.

(C) BANG Media International