VIDEO: Taron Egerton was "desperate" to replace Tom Hardy as Elton John

11 November 2018, 16:00 | Updated: 14 November 2018, 15:34

The Rocketman actor has talked about how he came to star in the role of Elton John after Hardy was approached.

Taron Egerton has revealed he was "desperate" to play Elton John in Rocketman.

Watch him explain all in our video above.

The British actor stars as the icon in the upcoming biopic, but previously sang his I'm Still Standing anthem for children's film Sing.

Asked by Radio X's Chris Moyles if the 2016 animated movie was what landed him the role as Elton John, Egerton revealed: "The role actually pre-dates that. The conversation started when we were filming Kingsman 2, which was early 2016 and at the time I think Tom Hardy was attached to do it..."

Taron Egerton on The Chris Moyles Show. Picture: Radio X

"But he'd been attached for a long time and I start playing him at 17, 18 so they needed someone else and I just put my cards on the table and said I was desperate to do it, continued the Robin Hood star.

The actor added: "They were up for it and I think when Elton heard the I'm Still Standing thing, that kind of sealed the deal."

See Taron Egerton star in the first official trailer for Rocketman below:

Hear Taron Egerton's performance of I'm Still Standing in Sing, where he plays the soulful gorilla Johnny: