£8m bill after Elton loses £14m claim

Elton John today lost his £14m claim over touring costs - and landed himself with an estimated £8m legal bill.

The 54-year-old superstar, currently on tour in the United States with Billy Joel, was said to be ‘‘almost certain’’ to appeal against Mr Justice Ferris’s ruling at the High Court in London.

But he was not due to have detailed discussions with his advisers until after a game of tennis.

Elton’s solicitor and manager, Frank Presland, said after the judgment: ‘‘I

aven’t gone through the judgment with him yet. I’ll talk to him after he’s played tennis because keeping fit is more important.’’

Asked if Elton would be upset with the outcome, he said: ‘‘It’s just business.’’

A statement was expected from the star later.

In a reference to the most celebrated quote from the hearing when it was disclosed that Sir Elton’s spending on property and personal items, including £293,000 on flowers, once amounted to almost £40 million over a 20-month period Mr Presland commented: ‘‘I don’t think he will cut back on his flowers.’’

Elton had sued Andrew Haydon, former managing director of John Reid Enterprises (JREL), which for many years was the star’s management company, and City accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers, which looked after his business interests.

The singer alleged that Mr Haydon, 45 - who was abroad today - was negligent in allowing JREL to charge him overseas tour expenses, including booking agents, accountants and producers.

Elton’s case was that under a management agreement the ‘‘several millions’’ which he paid out in touring expenses should have been borne by JREL.

PricewaterhouseCoopers was accused by Elton of negligence in managing his affairs.

Both defendants vigorously contested the allegations against them.

The judge ruled that Elton’s claim in respect of tour costs failed against both PricewaterhouseCoopers and Mr Haydon. He rejected claims of negligence against them.

Elton has already accepted five million dollars (£3.4m) from John Reid, 51, his former lover and manager, in settlement of his claims against him.

After the judge’s announcement, Mr Haydon’s solicitor, Nik Rochez, said in a statement: ‘‘Mr Haydon will obviously be delighted that after two years of litigation the case against Elton’s auditors and against him as a former director has been dismissed.

‘‘Whilst Mr Haydon always expected this result, he will be particularly pleased that the case against him was rejected on so many grounds and with such force. This is both a just and wonderful result.’’

PricewaterhouseCoopers said in a statement: ‘‘We are delighted by the decision reached this morning by Mr Justice Ferris, dismissing Elton’s claim and wholly vindicating our position.

‘‘This was a case wholly without merit and resulted in misguided proceedings being brought.’’

John Reid, who was in court, said later: ‘‘It’s very sad that the long relationship I had with Elton John has ended this way.

‘‘I feel that the question mark that has been hanging over my integrity for the past three years has been removed and that was the most important thing to me in this case.

‘‘It should never have come to trial. It was ill advised. Nobody has come out of it very well - particularly Elton, and I feel sorry for him.’’

Mr Reid, who is no longer in artist management and recently co-produced The Graduate in the West End, said he had no hard feelings towards Elton.

Mr Justice Ferris described Elton as ‘‘clearly a man of an uncommonly generous disposition’’ and a man of great intelligence, but who had ‘‘little or no interest in business matters’’.