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Elton John has sent social media into overdrive, after sharing a series of pictures which left many believing the singer had been hospitalised – however, not all was as it seemed

Sir Elton John sparked panic among his devoted fanbase on Friday after sharing a photograph of himself seemingly bedridden in hospital, draped in a glittering cast. However, it was all just to publicise his appearance in the upcoming Spinal Tap II sequel.

The 78-year-old music legend uploaded a series of images to Instagram showing him apparently incapacitated in a hospital gown, sporting rhinestone-encrusted leg casts and a neck brace, whilst surrounded by floral arrangements and fellow cast members.

The pictures prompted numerous supporters to assume John had been admitted to hospital, with messages flooding in expressing hopes for his swift recovery.

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“Get better soon with the Favor of God, Sir Elton John,” penned one concerned follower.

A second fan commented: “Sending you love. Your music got me through a lot of dark times.”, reports the Mirror US.

However, John made it clear in his caption that the entire scenario was fabricated for promotional purposes.

“Rocked too hard… ended up in a cast! Backstage with Spinal Tap,” he explained.

“The new film, Spinal Tap II, and album are out today, featuring me on ‘Listen To The Flower People’ and ‘Stonehenge.’ Thanks for having me be a part of it!”

The upload also featured behind-the-scenes clips revealing camera monitors, a film set, and footage of the sparkling casts being removed, confirming the hospital environment was merely part of the production.

The original photograph deceived thousands of viewers. Certain supporters confessed they were briefly petrified.

“ELTON DON’T SCARE US LIKE THAT,” declared one response.

Another remarked: “Scared me for a minute there. So glad you’re ok.”

Meanwhile, other followers grasped the prank straight away. “That’s just the Majesty of Rock!” the official Spinal Tap account commented, quoting a line from the film.

The 1984 mockumentary, This Is Spinal Tap, directed by Rob Reiner, parodied rock band culture through fictional characters and manufactured behind-the-scenes chaos.

The follow-up, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, chronicles the band members reuniting for one last performance after being separated for 15 years.

The soundtrack features numerous original compositions, including tracks with John’s involvement.

Both the film and album became available on Friday. John, who recently concluded his farewell tour, has appeared publicly on several occasions in recent months but hadn’t previously revealed his appearance in the production.

By Friday evening, the post had garnered over 210,000 likes.

Lewis Capaldi’s relationship history includes him having once dated Paige Turley, who years later went on to win Love Island, and he’s more recently been linked to an actor

Singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi rose to fame six year ago with the release of his chart-topping song Someone You Loved. Since then he’s attracted some attention over his relationships, as well as through his career achievements.

Lewis, now 28, released his debut album, Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent, in 2019 and his career has since led to him performing at Glastonbury. He returned to the festival in June after performing on stage for the first time in two years earlier this year after taking a break from music.

He’s now preparing to embark on a new tour and will be seen on Michael McIntyre’s Big Show tonight. Amid his comeback, we’ve taken a look at his personal life, which he’s previously admitted does sometimes inspire his music.

Paige Turley

Lewis had a brief relationship with Paige Turley, now 28, who years later appeared on Love Island, after reportedly meeting at college in Motherwell. He told the Edge NZ in 2020 that they met at 18 but were 19 when they “started going out,” before then splitting up aged 20. He said at the time: “It was very amicable the split.”

Speaking about his debut album, Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent, he told the Scottish Sun in 2019 that it was about someone who he dated for a year and half before she “left” him. He said that the album was about that and he also shared that he had “loved” her.

There has been speculation that Someone You Loved was written about Paige, though he’s denied that. Lewis has said that the song is about his late grandmother and was written after her death as a late addition to the album.

Whilst collecting the Song of the Year award for it at the BRIT Awards in 2020, he teased: “A lot of people think this song is about my ex-girlfriend, who you can now see every night on Love Island, but it’s actually about my grandmother who has sadly passed away a few years ago and I hope to God that ITV don’t contact her to be on a reality dating TV show.”

Lewis however is said to have revealed that Hold Me While You Wait, another single from the same album, was written about Paige. According to the Scottish Sun, Lewis said about the song at a gig in 2020: “You think it’s going well, and the lady has different ideas. She thinks it’s going horribly.”

He suggested that she then left and he was “quite sad about it” and then wrote the album. Lewis teased that she then ends up going on Love Island but expressed hope that she would win the ITV2 show, adding that he wasn’t “bitter”.

Paige later won Love Island with Finn Tapp, whom she later split from. After winning, she told the Mirror that Lewis had congratulated her. She said: “We’re still friends. We dropped a couple of messages after Love Island just congratulating each other, but that’s been it since.”

More recently, Paige suggested earlier this year that they have remained on good terms. She spoke about Lewis following his decision to take a break from music to focus on his mental and physical health, amid learning to adjust to the impact of having been diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome.

She told the Sun in January that she saw him a couple of months prior at a mutual friend’s party, adding that Lewis was doing “much better in himself”. Paige said at the time that it was “really nice to see him” and that he’s “doing well”.

Paige said that seeing him in a “low place” had been “difficult” and suggested that her ex has been “so under pressure” due to the success of his career. She added: “But I’ll say he really does seem like he’s in a much better place now.”

Catherine Halliday

Lewis was linked to student Catherine Halliday back in 2020. They were said to be dating in February that year after having reportedly been introduced through mutual friends at the start of the year. Speaking about an apparent date in Glasgow, a source told the Sun that they were “being very flirty” and “seemed to be having fun,” adding that they were “laughing and joking a lot”.

However, it was reported in September that year that they had parted ways after dating for seven months, with the apparent romance said to have been unable to survive through lockdown. A source told the Sun that Lewis had “no hard feelings” towards Catherine and that they were “still amicable” but thought it was “best” to end their relationship.

The source added that Lewis was facing opportunities in his career so it wasn’t the “right time to settle down”. They said that he was wishing her “the best” and had “fond memories” of them dating each other.

Ellie MacDowall

Lewis is believed to have begun a romance with actor Ellie MacDowall towards the end of 2022. They appeared to confirm the relationship in 2023 and Lewis reportedly “couldn’t keep his hands off” her whilst at the BRIT Awards.

He later gushed about his partner in an interview on BBC Radio 2 in April that year. Lewis said at the time: “I have a girlfriend and that’s going really well. I am [a] happy chappy. She’s a lovely lady. I feel good about everything.”

More recently, in March last year, they were spotted out on a stroll together. It was reported at the time that it marked the first time that Lewis and Ellie, who portrayed Jennifer Grant in the ITVX miniseries Archie in 2023, had been seen together in 10 months.

It was then reported in August last year that they had decided to split up after less than two years together. They were said to have made a “mutual” decision to end the relationship at some point but reportedly remained friends.

A source told the Sun: “Lewis and Ellie had some long conversations and decided it was best for them to end things. It was a mutual decision.” The source added: “They are still friends and have been talking, so all is not lost.”

Ellie was said to be based in Edinburgh, whilst Lewis lived in London, with the source saying that it had been “hard for them to see each other”. The source said it “just wasn’t to be” but that the pair had a “wonderful time” together.

Clare Balding and her wife Alice Arnold have been appearing on Celebrity Gogglebox together since 2021 and the BBC Sport presenter has issued a warning to her partner

Clare Balding issued a heads-up to spouse Alice Arnold when they began featuring on Celebrity Gogglebox as a duo. The BBC Sport host and her other half started gracing the popular Channel 4 programme in 2021.

Whilst Clare has remained a familiar face for more than three decades, joining the BBC’s Royal Ascot presenting squad in 1995, Alice has predominantly worked behind the microphone in radio. Nevertheless, Clare reveals Alice has proved a massive hit amongst Gogglebox fans.

Clare confesses she finds it “very easy” to pause and have a natter with folk on the street, be it discussing Crufts, Wimbledon, or the Paralympics, reports Wales Online. Yet this aspect of celebrity life is something Alice is currently having to “get used to”.

Speaking on the Gaby Roslin podcast, Clare revealed: “What I quite enjoy is that because Alice and I do Gogglebox together the reaction now is, ‘Oh we love you on Gogglebox and your wife’s so funny’, and I go, ‘She’s much funnier than me’, and they go, ‘Yeah she is’.

“I quite enjoy that. Alice is having to get used to being recognised because for years she has been on the radio, whether it’s Radio 4 or now Mellow Magic, but not a recognised face, so she now has to get used to that and I go, ‘You’ve got to smile at people, be nice to people’.”

Clare explains Alice possesses a “much shorter attention span” and less tolerance than herself.

She acknowledges that Alice will sometimes feel as though she “doesn’t want to talk” to members of the public, which stands in sharp contrast to Clare’s approach. Clare has previously disclosed that she and Alice were “cautious” about allowing the Gogglebox cameras into their home.

However, she acknowledged it presented an excellent opportunity to showcase an older same-sex couple in their domestic setting.

In a 2021 interview with the Metro, she explained: “We’ve been together for nearly 20 years now and it’s still rare to see older same-sex couples, sitting at home, watching telly like everyone else.

“I’m a believer in being yourself, happy and relaxed, and am quietly proud because that’s a strong message for adults and parents.

“I know people say this isn’t an issue these days but it is and there are still some communities and areas where there’s an element of shame attached to being gay or having a child who is. I wanted to show that, ‘Look, it’s nothing, there’s no issue here.’ Gogglebox was a good way of doing that.”

Clare and Alice first crossed paths in 1999 whilst both were employed by the BBC.

Their friendship developed before romance flourished in 2002.

The couple entered into a civil partnership in 2006 before exchanging vows in an intimate wedding ceremony in 2015.