Elton John
Flamboyant, popular entertainer Elton John has led a colourful career of ups and downs involving, outrage, slights, temper tantrums and small domesticated animals converted to hairpieces. Here we document Elton's Top 5 career shockers...

"I want pheasants, oiled midgets and can someone do something about the wind outside my room?!" Tantrums...
Elton is infamous for his outrageous demands and temper tantrums (documented in the TV doc shot by boyfriend David Furnish - Tantrums and Tiaras). Much of Elt's 'quirky' behaviour was fuelled by his well publicised battle with Bolivian marching powder. "I was a nightmare," says Elton now, looking back at his rock star hissy fits. "I was on tour in Germany and staying in this dreadful hotel. It was really windy outside and I couldn't sleep so I phoned my agent and said 'Could you do something about this bloody wind outside? I can't sleep!'" Hang on Elton, we'll just phone the BBC Weather Centre... Looking back at the evil powder, cocaine, Elton says: "It's great for sex but really it's an arsehole's drug." Quite.

What's that cat doing on his head? - Hairpieces ...

Elton's hairline spent the best of the '70s receding faster than a Popstars TV contestant's career. By the early '80s, the situation had become critical. Elton unveiled the first of his 'dead animal' hair sculptures on the cover of his Single Man album. A newly shorn, dyed barnet appeared underneath a top hat on the cover of the 1980 LP. This proved to be Elton's most sober rug. Later incarnations included the 'poodle perm', the 'afghan shaggy', and the 'petrified granny', ending in the current page boy, mop top we have today. Elton still insists that his hair is not a wig and is actually replanted hair folicles. Yeah and Hear'Say will one day reform Elton ...

An acid tongue - Barbed comments
Perhaps because of the turmoil in Elton's life, he has always retained a healthy sense of humour. On his sexuality, Elton commented: "I think people should be free to engage in any sexual practices they choose; they should draw the line at goats though." On his image, the great man said: "Here am I, a pudgy little man in outrageous gear, leaping at a piano!" And lest we forget, it was Elton who actually first noticed the remarkable similarity between Danny Foster of Hear'Say and cartoon film star Shrek. "He's a dead ringer," quipped Elt, and went on to turn the knife by saying: "Hear'Say are the ugliest band in pop." Hear'Say's Noel recently blamed Elton for the demise of the band. Noel said: "After Elton said we were the ugliest band in the world everyone waded in - and this from a man who wears wigs and is hardly a hunk himself!" Elton won't stop though. He recently compared the music of the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Britney and S Club 7 to "packets of cereal."

Lend us a fiver Elt? - Spending power
A court case in 2001 involving Elton and his former accountant and manager John Reid highlighted the amazing spending power of the bespectacled, podgy, Versace clad genius. Elton lost the case regarding alleged embezzlement but the trial highlighted the details of Elton's incredible spending power. The court heard how Elt spent nearly £40m in a 20-month period, including £100,000 on flowers! Asked why, Elton replied: "Well, I like flowers." Elton owns a castle in Windsor by the way and homes in South of France, LA, New York and Streatham (We're not sure about the last one). He also owns Watford Football Club. Although the house in Streatham is probably worth more. (Mind you, at the time of writing, Watford were a very respectable sixth in the Nationwide First Division).

Lies, damn lies - Slander
The '80s proved a patchy period for Elt, both professionally and personally. But his vulnerability over his baldness, weight and sexuality seemed to endear him to the public. However after his divorce from his German wife Renate Blauel in 1986 the tabloids started tracking Elton's personal life in more depth, eventually unveiling a rent boy who Elton had allegedly approached for sex. Elton responded with a lawsuit against The Sun newspaper and eventually proved the allegations to be totally false. Elton received £1m in damages which he donated to charity. The case seemed to sober up our formerly devil-may-care, ferret wearing, pink suited hero. He turned his attention to charity work, campaigning for Aids sufferers. In 1997, his re-recording of Candle In The Wind, in memory of Princess Diana, became the fastest selling single in UK chart history. All proceeds were donated to the Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. Elton continues to campaign for Aids charities and wig wearers everywhere...