Sir Tom Jones has issued an apology for his “stupid” behaviour after snubbing a pop legend during a 1975 TV show
Sir Tom was appearing on A Salute to Sir Lew Grade in April 1975 when he met a music legend(Image: ITV)
Sir Tom Jones apologised following his “stupid” actions that resulted in him “snubbing” Beatles icon John Lennon – years after wanting to “punch him in the mouth”.
The Welsh performer was appearing on A Salute to Sir Lew Grade in April 1975. The tribute programme honouring the media mogul marked Lennon’s final televised appearance.
The musician performed before large crowds following The Beatles’ set and appeared alongside entertainers including Peter Sellers and Dave Allen on the prestigious line-up.
Following their individual performances, Sir Tom and Lennon assembled with fellow stars onstage for the closing sequence. Having exchanged greetings with Dame Julie Andrews and Sellers, Sir Tom positioned himself beside Lennon.
As the Liverpudlian artist reached to clasp Sir Tom’s hand, the Delilah performer withdrew. In his memoir Over The Top And Back, he revealed: “It felt strange to me.
“Men holding hands with men…I was shy of that. So I shook it off – dropped his hand. Stupid, uptight reaction. I’m sorry now that I did that.”
This wasn’t Sir Tom’s initial meeting with the renowned vocalist, though. In his autobiography, he also admitted wanting to “punch the lippy Scouser in the mouth” after Lennon ridiculed his track It’s Not Unusual, earlier in the Welsh artist’s career.
Lennon was preparing for ITV’s Thank Your Lucky Stars while Sir Tom observed from the seating area. The 86-year-old recalled Lennon noticed him and felt compelled to begin performing.
He continued: “And what he sings is It’s Not Unusual, except with his own words. ‘It’s not a unicorn, it’s an elephant’.
“Then he nods at me and says ‘how are you doing, you Welsh poof?’ Wow, a double-slap. John Lennon just took the p*** out of my song and then called me a poof.
“I’m thrown into confusion: crushed and bristling at the same time. Should I melt into my seat or punch the lippy Scouser in the mouth?”.
Sir Tom revealed that his then-manager Gordon Mills ultimately diffused the situation by assuring him it was simply Lennon’s “sense of humour”. Reflecting on the incident, the Welsh singing legend acknowledged he ought to have simply “rolled with it”, but was still finding his feet in the industry at the time.
He went on: “I’m touchy. I’m a novice. I’m working out where I belong here – if I belong here.”
This follows as The Voice UK viewers were left emotional as Sir Tom Jones performed a beautiful rendition of a classic song during last week’s episode. The popular ITV singing competition returned to our screens last month with judges Kelly Rowland, will.i.am, McFly’s Danny Jones and Tom Fletcher, and of course Sir Tom.
As another round of blind auditions commenced the Welsh singer wowed his fellow judges and audience members with a performance of In the Tower of Song which was famously sung by Leonard Cohen.
Following the moving rendition, which earned Sir Tom a standing ovation, will.i.am was spotted becoming tearful as he described Sir Tom as a “gift”.
He said: “I am trying to make sense of my emotions right now. We just felt, like, the most purest of hearts – 85 years of every experience you can think of in this man’s sponge of a soul and he rinsed it out for us. And we bathed in it.”
The Voice UK is on ITV1 on Saturdays and on ITVX as well as STV and STV Player
