Sir Elton John "doesn't want to die": 78-year-old speaks out following health issues

Speaking candidly in an interview about his family and friends, musical maestro Sir Elton John has said he "doesn't want to die". The Candle in the Wind singer was speaking on 'CBS News Sunday Morning' this weekend when he made the admission.

The 78-year-old pop legend is married to David Furnish with whom he shares sons Zachary, 14, and 11-year-old Elijah. Talking about the song Never Too Late, which he wrote with American singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, he explained the meaning behind the track.

It’s all about his relationship with long-time collaborator Bernie Taupin, who he wrote songs including Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, with. Elton siad he "isn't sentimental at all" but has considered his mortality in recent times.

He said: "It's a song that's just as much about Bernie as it is about me. It's about both of us and how wonderful our love and friendship has been and our songwriting, what we've done and what we've achieved. I can't imagine my life without him in it.

“When you get to a certain age...I'm not sentimental at all but suddenly you think 'I don't ever...I want my boys to be in my life forever, I want David to be my life. I want my friends.

"I don't want to die. Unfortunately, we do. Unless there's some sort of pill around the corner!"

The hitmaker - who has sold more than 300 million records since beginning his career in the late 1960s - insisted his many musical achievements don't mean anything when compared to his family life.

Speaking at a special Q+A event at the London Palladium on Wednesday (March 26), he said: “On my tombstone, I want nothing to do with Crocodile f****** Rock. I just want it to say: ‘He was a great dad."

The pop icon lost the vision in his right eye because of an infection and just weeks ago, according to The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column, it was revealed that he has had to "simplify" his usual signature for autographed editions of his new album Who Believes In Angels? - now signing just his initial ‘E’ followed by the letter X to represent a kiss.