Elton John: 'I still want my dad's approval'

He may have started out singing cover versions on cheap compilation albums, but Elton John went on to become the fifth highest-selling recording artist of all time.

He was the first musician to enter the US album charts at number one. He has won a Brit award for outstanding achievement three times. And his tribute single for Princess Diana, Candle In The Wind, has sold 33 million copies worldwide.

None of this, however, impressed his father, according to BBC News.

Writing in his new autobiography, Me, Elton admits he spent his whole career "trying to show my father what I'm made of".

"It's crazy, but I just wanted his approval," the star tells the BBC, in the only print interview about his book. "I'm still trying to prove to him that what I do is fine - and he's been dead for almost 30 years."

Strikingly, however, the star harbours no resentment, describing his father as a "product of his time" - uptight, emotionally stunted and trapped in an unhappy marriage.

"Although he didn't really come to the shows or write me a letter to say, 'well done', I don't think he knew how to," he explained.