Elton John biopic Rocketman to tour the UK with a LIVE orchestra
This will be amazing
Last updated 14th Feb 2020
Rocketman, the fantastical biopic about Elton John's rise to stardom, was a box office smash last year, winning Golden Globes and Oscars. Now, fans will get the chance to see the film again on the big screen, but this time accompanied by a live orchestra.
And if that wasn't enough, here at Greatest Hits Radio we also have a presale, so you can grab your tickets before everyone else!
The film is full of songs originally released by Elton John, as well as a newly written song, the Academy Award winning, '(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again', and they will be brought to life with an orchestra, something fans will NOT want to miss.
Rocketman was an immediate hit last year when it was released, taking nearly $200 million at the box office, and receiving many awards for both the film and music.
Rocketman In Concert will be taking place in several locations across the country, including Birmingham, London, Glasgow and Edinburgh in June.
See the full list of dates below:
June 2020
Birmingham Symphony Hall – Fri 5th
Brighton Dome – Thu 11th
London Eventim Apollo – Sat 13th
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall – Wed 17th
Edinburgh Usher Hall – Thu 18th
In the week that has seen Elton John win an Oscar and Rocketman announced to go on tour, this weekend on Greatest Hits Superstars, we celebrate the partnership of Elton John and Bernie Taupin.
In this special two-part programme, we look at the origins of their partnership, the creation of some of their greatest hits such as 'Your Song' and 'Rocket Man', and how they still keep things fresh after almost 50 years in the business.
You can listen to Greatest Hits Superstars: Elton and Bernie Part 1 this Friday (14th February) at 9pm and Sunday (16th February) at 4pm exclusively on Greatest Hits Radio.
Now take a look at the Rocketman cast below:
Taron Egerton as Elton John
Welsh actor Taron Egerton played Elton John in the film about his life. Luckily, Taron is already an accomplished singer, so didn't need a lot of coaching on that aspect of taking on the role.
He's best known for his role as Gary "Eggsy" Unwin in both Kingsman and its sequel, The Golden Circle. He also had a role in Legend opposite Tom Hardy, and played the titular character in Eddie the Eagle opposite Hugh Jackman.
Jamie Bell as Bernie Taupin
Jamie Bell stars in the film as Bernie Taupin, Elton's songwriting partner. After meeting in 1967, the pair have now worked together on more than 30 albums.
Of course, film fans will recognise Jamie as the titular role in Billy Elliot, a film he starred in at the age of just 13. He also starred in 2005's King Kong, The Adventures of Tintin and Fantastic Four.
Richard Madden as John Reid
Richard Madden portrays Elton's long-time music manager and former lover, John Reid. Not only did he manage Elton for over 20 years, but he also spent three years looking after Queen in their early days.
Richard is known for his role as Sgt David Budd in Bodyguard, but rose to prominence after starring as Robb Stark in internationally-acclaimed TV series, Game Of Thrones. He has also had a career in theatre.
Bryce Dallas Howard as Sheila Eileen
Bryce Dallas Howard plays the role of Elton's mum, Sheila Eileen. Although she and Elton did not get on for a long time, they reconciled towards the end of her life, and she was a big part of his Christmas advert for M&S in 2018.
Bryce herself has the film industry in her blood, as she's the daughter of prolific film director Ron Howard. Although she's had many roles, she's known for playing Claire Dearing in the new Jurassic World reboot film series opposite Chris Pratt.
Stephen Graham as Dick James
Stephen Graham portrays Dick James in the film, a British music publisher who signed Elton to his label and encouraged him to use a stage name.
Fans of This Is England will recognise Stephen as Andrew "Combo" Gascoigne, but many others may know him as Tommy from 2000 film Snatch. He also joined the cast of Line Of Duty for the fifth series.
Gemma Jones as Ivy
Gemma Jones plays Ivy in the film, Elton's grandmother. In fact, it was Ivy's piano that Elton first learned to play on at the age of three. He was partly raised by her along with his mother as his father was away with the RAF.
Gemma has had a long and successful career in acting, and after playing Mrs Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility opposite Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet, starred as Bridget's mum Pam in the film series. She also played nurse Madame Pomfrey in the Harry Potter film franchise.
Tate Donovan as Doug Weston
Tate Donovan plays Doug Weston in Rocketman, the owner of nightclub The Troubadour in Los Angeles, California, which played an important role in making Elton's career a success.
Tate is a rather well-known actor, but younger audiences will recognise him as the voice of Hercules in the 1997 Disney film. Alternatively, Tate was memorable as Rachel Green's boyfriend Joshua in TV series, Friends. He also had a main role in Argo, starring and directed by Ben Affleck.
You can hear songs by Elton John on Greatest Hits Radio.
You can listen on DAB digital radio, online at www.greatesthitsradio.co.uk, or via the Greatest Hits Radio app. You can also listen on your smart speaker by saying 'Play Greatest Hits Radio' on Alexa, or 'Play Greatest Hits Radio on tune-in' on Google Home.