Elton John reveals 'Billy Elliot' bond

Elton John helped turn hit movie 'Billy Elliot' into a stage show, because its storyline is so similar to his own life.

The musical hits New York's Broadway in September after a successful stint on London's West End.

John wrote music to accompany author Lee Hall's story about a young boy who falls in love with ballet, inspite of a disapproving father, in a working class English town.

He claims his childhood mirrored that of the fictional 'Billy Elliot' - except he didn't get to enjoy the acceptance of his father.

He tells the New York Daily News: "At the end of the film, Billy's father sees (his son) dance at Covent Garden. My father really never got to do that when I became successful later on in my career. So I kind of missed that.

"I was always trying to please my father, but he really never got what I wanted to be and disapproved of it completely. He was a product of the war and wanted me to have a safe job in a bank or an accountancy firm. And that wasn't for me."