Elton John has spoken about his redemption from addiction and the three words that changed his life, whilst promoting his book Love is the Cure: On Life, Loss, and the End of AIDS.

The star said: "Addiction just grips you, you know three words changed my life 'I need help', and I couldn't say those words for sixteen years because I thought it was a sign of weakness.

"I'm the luckiest person in the world and it's all because one young boy and his family showed me what they were doing was right and what I was doing was disgusting."

John, 65, talked about the personal side of the AIDS epidemic and acknowledged his addiction to sex, alcohol and cocaine.

He says he has been clean and sober for twenty-two years and he said he can now cope with the ups and downs of life.