Elton John: I could've died

Sir Elton John could have "died at any time" during his recent health scare.

The British singer has been forced to cancel his upcoming European shows due to appendicitis. He fell ill after a performance on Friday, with hospital scans showing he had an abscess.

The 66-year-old has opened up about his ordeal, which was worse than has been assumed.

"I'm lucky to be alive," he told British newspaper The Sun.

"I was a ticking time bomb. I guess I could have died at any time."

Elton had been feeling unwell for some time but had no idea there was anything seriously wrong. The star and his partner David Furnish held their annual charity ball at the end of last month and even then Elton was poorly. Initially, he feared he had a bad bout of food poisoning.

"I feel so lucky and so grateful to be alive. I played nine gigs and the White Tie and Tiara Summer Ball in agony," he admitted.

He ended up leaving his show in Germany early on Friday as the pain was too intense.

His appendix was inflamed and he has been taking medication to ensure he doesn't get blood poisoning. At the moment he is resting in bed but he will still need to have an operation.

"Elton is over the worst but is still very sick. It's been a horrible ordeal," an insider explained.

The star is devastated to be letting fans down and has vowed to reschedule them as soon as possible. He will need a period of complete rest and will likely be back on stage by fall.

"Elton is incredibly disappointed to postpone these tour dates," an insider told British newspaper The Mirror.

"He has made super-human efforts to continue, confirming his dedication to his European fans."