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Elton John and Molly Meldrum feel the love again after long feud

Elton John (at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena on December 10) has buried the hatchet with Ian 'Molly' Meldrum.

Elton John (at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena on December 10) has buried the hatchet with Ian 'Molly' Meldrum. Photo: Getty

After seven years of frosty silence, Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum feels “huge relief” he and Elton John have ended one of showbiz’s most famous feuds.

Elton, 72, and Meldrum, 76, patched things up during a private meeting brokered by the singer before his Farewell Yellow Brick Road concert in Melbourne on December 14.

“It was just Elton and I, talking about the old days and our wonderful friendship,” Meldrum told the Herald Sun.

“It was lovely. We had a great conversation. We talked about when we first met, all the things we’ve been through, and how important our friendship is.”

Elton gifted Meldrum a book signed with a message that mentioned “so many great times and so many not so great times”, then dedicated Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me to him during the show.

“We’ve had tears, we’ve had laughter, but we’ve had a friendship that’s lasted so long,” Elton told the audience, as Meldrum blew a kiss.

“I don’t think anyone has done more for music in Australia than Molly Meldrum. Molly, I love you. I thank you dearly for everything you’ve done for me.”

A desperate Meldrum had tried to fix the bromance for years, and made a public plea for Elton’s forgiveness on Seven’s now-defunct Sunday Night in October.

His dream was to meet Elton at his concert at Hanging Rock on January 25: “If he’s still angry with me, he can push me off the bloody rock. A friendship like ours is worth keeping forever.”

The Australian was banished from Elton’s life after a controversial August 2012 interview on Sunday Night included footage of the singer dissing Madonna as a “nightmare” and “fairground stripper”.

Molly Meldrum

Molly Meldrum talks with Elton during the infamous Sunday Night interview. Photo: Seven

During what they thought was an off-the-record chat in Germany, Elton let fly about his fellow superstar, saying she had been “horrible” to Lady Gaga, the godmother of his son Zachary.

“She’s such a nightmare. Sorry. Her career’s over – I can tell you that. Her tour’s been a disaster and it couldn’t happen to a bigger c–t,*” Elton said in the video which was aired.

“If Madonna had any common sense, she’d have made a record like Ray of Light, stayed away from the dance stuff and just been a great pop singer.

“But, no, she had to prove that she was like … and she looks like a f—ing fairground stripper.”

Molly Meldrum Elton John

Elton cuts loose during the sit down. Photo: Seven

The inflammatory comments created international headlines and deep pain for Meldrum and a furious Elton.

The former Countdown host wrote in his 2016 book Ah Well, Nobody’s Perfect that “a Sunday Night producer went behind my back” by airing the footage.

He also said he was “not at the top of my game” after a serious brain injury from a fall in December 2011, and said the candid remarks were “clearly a chat between two old friends” and not meant to be broadcast.

“I guess I should have been more in control of the final edit and approved the story before it went to air,” Meldrum wrote.

“Elton still thinks it was all my fault, and refused to talk to me when he toured Australia in 2015.

“I’m tempted to quote a line from one of my favourite movies: ‘Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn’. But the truth is, I do give a damn. I love Elton.”

Now, the love is mutual again.

When he heard Elton’s tribute to him at the Saturday concert, “I almost fell off my chair. It was unbelievable,” Meldrum said.

“I was very humbled.”

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