Elton John makes heartbreaking admission in emotional speech at Attitude Awards 2024

was presented with a prestigious gong by his pal Ed Sheeran at the .

The 77-year-old performed at the bash held at London's Roundhouse before his friend Ed handed over the Legacy Award.

This is only the second such award to ever have been offered in the event's 13-year history.

The first Legacy Award was collected by Prince Harry in 2017 to celebrate his mother, the late , to mark the 20th .

Princess Diana and Elton were friends before her death in 1997. and has since remained a close friend of Prince Harry.

Picking up his award on Wednesday night, Elton said: "I'm very humbled by this award, it means a lot...It's been a long journey for me with lots of ups and downs and finally peace of mind.

"The first few years of my career were amazing; very crazy, with a lot of hedonistic things and a lot of success. But I had no happiness...Eventually, I had the humility to say to someone, 'I can't do this anymore, can you help me'.

"My life turned around and when I did get sober, I vowed that I would try and make up the lost ground that I wasted during the 1980s.

"I set up the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992... and instead of just going out and doing concerts, I came back down to earth. The foundation was a real focus point for me in my life and it was so much joy, so much pleasure to be able to do something for the people who needed it when I ignored them in the 1980s."

Continuing his emotional speech, the Rocket Man singer said he is "so happy to be a gay man" and dedicated his award to his husband David Furnish, 61, and their children Zachary, 13, and Elijah, 11.

He said: "I love my husband, I love my children and I have benefits as a gay man that I never thought I would be able to have. David, I love you so very much.

"We've come a long way as gay people and we are very lucky that we live in a country that gives us the rights to get married and have children. People around the world don't have those rights and I intend to fight for those rights until the day I die."

Other guests on the night at the 13th annual Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar, included Elton's husband David Furnish, Vanessa Williams, Lulu, Mawaan Rizwan, Rylan, H from Steps, the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race UK S6, The Blessed Madonna, Jordan North, Alexandra Burke, Ashley Roberts, Charley Marlowe, Charlotte Church, Dame Kelly Holmes, and Fleur East.

Entertainment on the night included a roof-raising performance from the Attitude Awards 2024 Person of the Year Award winner Nemo performing their Eurovision hit 'The Code', Matt Henry who plays Nigel in the upcoming West End musical The Devil Wears Prada while Ally Award recipient Kathy Sledge closed the show with a sensational six-song set, including the iconic 'We Are Family'.

The full list of winners at the Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards 2023, powered by Jaguar, are:

The Legacy Award, supported by Virgin Atlantic

Elton John, presented by Ed Sheeran

Honorary Gay, supported by Jaguar

Lulu, presented by Rylan

The Comedy Award

Mawaan Rizwan, presented by Jayde Adams

The Breakthrough Award

Tia Kofi, presented by Myleene Klass and Ian "H" Watkins

The Ally Award

Kathy Sledge, presented by Nick Grimshaw

The Culture Award, supported by Jaguar

Jessica Gunning, presented by Jack Rooke

The Sport Award

Cindy Ngamba, presented by Dame Kelly Holmes

The Inspiration Award

Brianna Ghey (accepted by Esther Ghey), presented by Jaxon Feeley

The Icon Award

Vanessa Williams, presented by Nathan Stewart-Jarret

The TV Award

Lost Boys & Fairies (Fra Fee and Sion Daniel Young accepting), presented by Charlotte Church

The Music Award

The Blessed Madonna, presented by TBC

The Drag Award

Jimbo, presented by Johannes Radebe and Montell Douglas

Person of the Year Award, supported by Virgin Atlantic

Nemo, presented by Dylan Mulvaney