Sir Elton John defended by fans after being mocked for ill health: ‘He’s 77!’

Fans have rallied around Sir Elton John after trolls mocked his walk in a viral video, asking ‘what happened’ to the legendary singer.

Last month, Sir Elton, 77, declared ‘there’s not much left’ of him after a string of health issues, including a severe infection which impaired his sight in one eye.

In the short clip, he could be seen getting out of a car and walking into a hotel, limping heavily when he first starts to move and struggling up the steps.

The Rocketman icon wore a vibrant lilac suit jacket with matching joggers and neon pink and blue trainers for the private gallery event.

His husband David Furnish, 62, walked beside him, moving to help support Sir Elton as he attempted the large step up into the building.

The clip prompted some X users to ask ‘What has Elton John done to himself’, sparking huge backlash from fans defending the star.

‘He’s old, we tend to do that over time,’ said Maugie as Jamie added: ‘I mean, he’s 77 years old. Not doing too badly lol.’

‘He’s old… None of us are getting younger and getting out of this alive…’ wrote Tan.

Levi shared: ‘That’s what happens when you’re old and sit down for more than 10 minutes lol.’

‘He’s 77 years old. Give him a break,’ agreed Matt, among a chorus of tweets reiterating his age as the culprit.

‘Well he wears his kneecap as a necklace, so there’s that,’ retorted RhoQSue, referencing Sir Elton’s knee replacement in January after which he was seen wearing his old kneecap as an accessory.

He has since had a second knee replacement and three years ago had his hip replaced following a fall, which delayed his 330-date Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. 

When appearing on Lorraine previously, the Hold Me Closer hitmaker said he specifically was struggling to get in and out of cars while his hip replacement was pending.

It can take anywhere between six months to two years before someone recovers fully from this kind of invasive surgery.

Despite all the health issues, Sir Elton has been in good spirits and joked: ‘I don’t have tonsils, adenoids or an appendix. I don’t have a prostate. I don’t have a right hip or a left knee or a right knee.’

He continued to People Magazine: ‘In fact, the only thing left to me is my left hip. But I’m still here. And I can’t thank you [enough], you’re the people that made me.’ 

In his Instagram post, in which Sir Elton revealed his eye infection, the legend said he had been spending his summer ‘healing’ as much as possible.

‘I have been quietly spending the summer recuperating at home, and am feeling positive about the progress I have made in my healing and recovery thus far,’ Sir Elton wrote.

In his own words, he’s ‘still standing’.

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