Entertainment

Downturn hits Elton John, McCartney

Downturn hits Elton John, McCartney

By AFP

LONDON: The finances of Britain's top music stars, including Elton John, Paul McCartney and Robbie Williams, have been badly hit by the recession, figures from the Sunday Times Rich List showed Friday. John's personal fortune fell 26 percent in the last year, from 238 million pounds to 175 million in 2009, according to a preview of the list of Britain's 1,000 wealthiest people. Former Beatle McCartney has also reportedly seen his fortune fall by 60 million to 440 million pounds in the past 12 months due to falling property and share values. Ex-Take That star Robbie Williams lost 25 million and now has 80 million pounds, Welsh crooner Tom Jones's wealth dropped 24 percent to 130 million pounds and Cliff Richard's fell by a fifth to 40 million pounds. Troubled singer Amy Winehouse, pictured in recent weeks taking it easy on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia, saw her fortune halve from 10 million pounds last year to five million this. Her record company is still waiting for her to record a follow-up to her award-winning 2006 album "Back To Black" as she battles problems in her personal life. Ian Coxon, the list's editor, said that performers who relied on their investments to generate wealth had been the worse hit. "Robbie Williams is run as a business and there's been a profit fall in 2007, so that's had a knock-on effect and he's not been doing so much recently," Coxon said. "He's never quite fulfilled the promise that he had a few years ago. The ones where there's no change are the Beckhams, who although their property value has gone down, they're earning so fast there's no change." Footballer David Beckham and his wife, former Spice Girl Victoria, have seen their fortune remain steady at 125 million pounds, according to the list, the full version of which will be published on Sunday.

The finances of Britain's top music stars, including Elton John, seen here on April 22, 2009, Paul McCartney and Robbie Williams, have been badly hit by the recession, figures from the Sunday Times Rich List showed Friday.