Elton: 'don't Count Taylor Out'

Sir Elton John has urged fans not to worry too much about Dame Elizabeth Taylor as she battles ill health - because she's "a fighter" who always bounces back.

The Hollywood icon has been resting at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles since her hospitalisation earlier this month (Feb11) for congestive heart failure treatment.

Taylor's representative insists the actress, who turned 79 on Sunday (27Feb11), is making good progress in her health crisis and Elton is confident his old pal will return stronger than ever.

He tells America's Today show, "I'm sorry she's sick, I hope she gets better. She's a fighter. She's been down before. Don't ever count Elizabeth out. She's one hell of a lady."

And the Rocket Man has credited Taylor with inspiring him to continue hosting his annual Aids fundraisers, which have raised millions for charity since the singer launched his foundation in 1992.

He says, "Without Elizabeth we wouldn't be doing all this. She got us all off our backsides and was the forerunner of all this. I can't tell you how much I love her, how much she means to me."

John recently joined Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder and Dionne Warwick onstage at the amfAR gala in New York to honour Taylor, the organisation's founding international chairwoman, for her philanthropy.

In related news yesterday Sir Elton John has confirmed reports he'll be hosting and performing on U.S. comedy show Saturday Night Live on 2 April (11).

He'll perform with his The Union collaborator Leon Russell.

It will be Elton's first time on the show since 1982.

To celebrate the big announcement, Snl boss Lorne Michaels offered two tickets to the show's afterparty as an auction prize which was given away at Elton's annual Oscars viewing party in Hollywood on Sunday night (27Feb11).

The tickets went under the hammer for $75,000 (£50,000). The cash will benefit the Elton John Aids Foundation.