
Elton John and unlikely pal voted top duo by fans after he ends decades-long feud with Madonna
A poll of 2,000 adults found other improbable but loved friendships, both real and fictional, include
Advertisement
5
Sir Elton John's surprise friendship with a US star has come out top in a new survey
Credit: PA
5
It came after the Rocket Man hitmaker resolved his feud with Madonna
Credit: Instagram
5
Elton John and Eminem's friendship has come out top out of a poll of 2,000 people
Credit: Getty
Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett's close bond also made the top 15 alongside
Yet it was 78-year-old
The
"As a fellow musical superstar with nearly 30 years of sobriety under his belt, Elton John was the perfect mentor to help guide Marshall," wrote author Anthony Bozza in his book Not Afraid: The Evolution of Eminem.
Advertisement
read more elton john
"The two started on a program of weekly check-ins and grew very close."
The popularity of Elton's friendship with the Stan rapper, real name Marshall Mathers, comes after he made amends with Madonna, ending their years-long feud.
While looking at the list of the nation's traditional favourite duos, the survey also stated how Laurel and Hardy (42 per cent), Ant and Dec (31 per cent) and Paul McCartney and John Lennon (29 per cent) came out on top.
The research was commissioned by
Advertisement
Most read in Celebrity
Latest
Exclusive
The pair emulate the likes of 'Spiedi, 'Brangelina' and 'Bennifer' as they announce their own duo nickname 'Sam and Pete Twix' - merging their surnames to take their duo status up a new notch.
Pete said: 'We couldn't be any more different, and that just works, so we (or more so Sam) jumped at the chance of combining our names.
Elton John wows fans with 'incredible' Saturday Night Live performance amid health battle and losing his sight
'He's gutted he didn't think of it first, though jokes aside, the best thing about our duo is we always have each other's backs – and you can't ask for more than that.'
The research also found other iconic duos included comedians French and Saunders (25 per cent), rock legends Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (16 per cent), as well as Noel and Liam Gallagher (12 per cent).
Advertisement
When quizzed on what makes a pairing iconic, 56 per cent say it's about bringing out the best in each other.
Meanwhile, 24 per cent believe it's because they are total opposite, but it works - and another 24 per cent reckon a key sign is everyone talking about them.
What albums has Sir Elton John released?
How many records has Elton released across his career?
Empty Sky - 1969
Elton John - 1970
Tumbleweed Connection - 1970
Madman Across the Water - 1971
Honky Château - 1972
Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player - 1973
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - 1973
Caribou - 1974
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy - 1975
Rock of the Westies - 1975
Blue Moves - 1976
A Single Man - 1978
Victim of Love - 1979
21 at 33 - 1980
The Fox - 1981
Jump Up! - 1982
Too Low for Zero - 1983
Breaking Hearts - 1984
Ice on Fire - 1985
Leather Jackets - 1986
Reg Strikes Back - 1988
Sleeping with the Past - 1989
The One - 1992
Made in England - 1995
The Big Picture - 1997
Songs from the West Coast - 2001
Peachtree Road - 2004
The Captain & the Kid - 2006
The Diving Board - 2013
Wonderful Crazy Night - 2016
Regimental Sgt. Zippo - 2021
More than two thirds (66 per cent) think the phrase 'opposites attract' is true in real life connections, and 37 per cent claim they have experienced their own unlikely friendship.
It emerged 52 per cent have bonded with someone who seemed completely different to them at first, with one in 10 stating they are now best friends with that person.
Advertisement
Nearly a quarter say their BFF knows them better than anyone else, and 25 per cent even admit they confide more in them than they do their own partner.
According to 32 per cent of the OnePoll.com respondents, knowing each other's families is what indicates 'best friend status' the most.
As well as spending all day together and still having things to talk about (31 per cent), knowing each other's favourite things (28 per cent), and speaking your own language (15 per cent).
Lauren Godfrey, senior brand manager for the chocolate brand, which has also created a quiz where users can answer a series of questions to see which famous duo their favourite friendship is most like, added: 'We've always believed the world is more fun in twos – and our research shows we're a nation of duos.
'Whilst none of us can understand the true bond of a pair, it's been fun to take a peep behind the iconic duo that is Pete Wicks and Sam Thompson – or as we like to call them, Sam and Pete Twix.'
Advertisement
Unlikely Celeb Pals
EMINEM and Sir Elton John have come out tops in a poll on unlikely celeb pals - were you aware of these famous connections?
TOP 15 UNLIKELY DUOS:
Elton John and Eminem
Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett
Laurel and Hardy
Han Solo and Chewbacca
GK Barry and Rev Richard Coles
Ed Sheeran and Courteney Cox
Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart
Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond
Georgia Toffolo and Stanley Johnson
Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole
Walter White and Jesse Pinkman
Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks
Bette Midler and 50 Cent
Harry Styles and Lizzo
Pitbull and John Travolta
5
Elton supported the Stan hitmaker in his battle with booze
Credit: Getty
5
Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks' friendship also polled highly in the Twix findings
Credit: Instagram/Sam Thompson
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The Journal
5 hours ago
- The Journal
'This is all I want to do': Meet the Dubliner documenting Ireland's marine life
IRELAND'S MARINE LIFE may appear underrepresented compared to our wildlife – there is much talk of our flóra agus fána , but perhaps slightly less about our ainmhithe agus éisc mhara . Joey Batt, a 32-year-old health and safety and operations coordinator at Dublin Port, thinks so anyways. That's why he's taken to sharing his hobby documenting marine life off Ireland's west coast online to his tens of thousands of followers. The Journal / YouTube Batt was born and raised in Sheriff Street in the north inner city of Dublin. He told The Journal that before Covid hit, he had left Dublin only twice: once to go to Spain and once to France on school holidays. 'We used to go to Balbriggan [in north county Dublin] every year,' he said. He bought his first drone roughly eight years ago to use as a hobby, and then began using it to take pictures. It was only during the Covid years that he began to take interest in what was going on in Irish waters. He and a friend set off in the car when restrictions lifted and decided to head somewhere. 'We just opened Google Maps and said, 'where will go we go?' and we just zoomed in on everywhere. We just found a place and there was blue water on the map, so we said we'd go there.' They drove four and a half hours to Keem Bay in Co Mayo. 'When you turn up around that bend on a sunny day you're just like, what even is this?' Batt said. There were dolphins there at the time. Now, Batt spends most of his weekends travelling the west coast and documenting marine life on his TikTok and Instagram pages, Dublin Drone, which have a combined following of almost 100,000. Dingle Bay's Humpback whale captured in full flight. Joey Batt / Instagram Joey Batt / Instagram / Instagram When he spoke to The Journal earlier this week, he hadn't long returned from five days at Loop Head in Co Clare where he observed basking sharks swimming in formations. 'This is probably one of the rarest events that sharks do,' he said. 'You have these basking sharks that arrive off the coast out of nowhere, and they all just come together in big formations.' It only happens once a year for around a week and there is not a set date to look out for – Batt received word that it had begun and he dropped everything to head straight to Clare. Advertisement 'They still don't exactly know what they're doing, but they're swimming in these beautiful formations,' he said. Tourists gathered to watch the occasion and in the evening times, locals would head down to observe the annual phenomenon. Joey Batt / Instagram Joey Batt / Instagram / Instagram Batt devotes enormous amounts of time to his documentation of these events, but makes no money from it. In Ireland, the only way to make money off social media is through sponsorships and paid advertisements, which Batt has decided not to attach himself to. His main focus is on raising awareness in Ireland of the vastness and intricacies of Irish marine life. 'The plan is to try to help highlight what's out there,' he said. 'That's all I want to do – to really highlight what's in Irish waters.' A grey seal colony relaxing on the edge of Bull Island. Joey Batt / Instagram Joey Batt / Instagram / Instagram He said that many people have no idea the extent of marine mammals close to the country's coast. 'I didn't even know we had dolphins,' he said, before he had travelled to other parts of the country several years ago. The Journal / YouTube For those interested in viewing more of marine life or travelling to various parts of Ireland, Batt recommends both Dingle Bay and Donegal Bay. Dingle Bay is a prime spot to view dolphins, basking sharks, fin whales, and minke whales, depending on the time of year, he said. 'You have the large colony of seals down in Dingle: Ireland's largest colony of grey seals is down in Dingle on the Blasket Island Beach.' And Donegal Bay? 'I'd call it the humpback central of Ireland. Every year they have so many humpbacks.' Next month, he's to begin a marine mammal course, having been put forward for it by Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal


The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Strictly Come Dancing's new contestant revealed after Game of Thrones star forced to pull out
The star was drafted in at the last minute following Kristian Nairn's exit on medical grounds KEEP DANCING Strictly Come Dancing's new contestant revealed after Game of Thrones star forced to pull out EMMERDALE hunk Lewis Cope has been confirmed as the new contestant for Strictly Come Dancing 2025 – being drafted in at the last minute. The star was announced on The One Show tonight, making an appearance after an 11th hour casting following the exit of Game of Thrones star, Kristian Nairn. 4 Emmerdale star Lewis Cope has been drafted in last minute to hit the Strictly dancefloor 4 Kristian Nairn was forced to withdraw on medical grounds Credit: PA The 20-year-old from Hartlepool, County Durham, played Nicky Milligan on the ITV soap from 2022 to 2024. The character was the secret son of Caleb Miligan, and the grandson of Faith Dingle and Frank Tate. Speaking about accepting the challenge, Lewis admitted that he was drafted in "over the past two days" and wasn't initially in the running to take part. "If anything, it's probably helped me," he said of joining late. "Because I haven't really had time to think about it or anything. "So now the excitement has kind of just taken over, and I'm just like all inside." As for who he wants to impress, he said: "I'd probably say Shirley, just because she seems to be very particular on technique and all of that. "So if I can manage to learn some of the technique, and I think that'll be, like, a nice achievement for me." Without a preference for a partner, he added: "All of them are going to be fantastic. I know they're at the top of the game. "So for me, I probably want someone that's going to push me, like, literally push me." Lewis might just be accused of having unfair dance experience, however. At the age of 11 he was appearing in one of the leading roles in Billy Elliot: The Musical in London's West End. Luckily he managed to avoid too much Mickey taking at school. He said: 'I never got any stick at school – it probably helped that I had brothers in every year and that they were boxers. 'But I was also able to charm and joke with classmates, so it was never a big thing. I was very lucky, for somebody else it could have been different.' Nairn, famed for playing Hodor on Game of Thrones, was confirmed to be leaving the show today on medical grounds. He said in his official statement: "With a heavy heart, I have to step back from this season of Strictly Come Dancing due to unexpected medical reasons. "I was truly looking forward to the journey, and I'm deeply sorry to disappoint anyone who was looking forward to seeing me on the dance floor. "Thank you all for your support, and I will be back on my feet very soon, in every sense. Love to all, Kristian." The 49-year-old actor later took to social media with a video, explaining that his vitals had spiked due a combination of stress and grief. Apologising to fans, he explained that doctors had advised he withdraw from the show so he could get back to normal. He is now under treatment expected to make a full recovery, with Nairn adding that the doctors didn't see the spike as a major concern. "I'm not going to have time for the show - I'm not going to have time for the training," he said. "I also don't want to leave them, you and my other contestants hanging, that's not really fair." Kristian admitted he was "gutted" to be out saying he spent months preparing and "looking forward to taking part". 4 Lewis is best known for playing Nicky Milligan on Emmerdale But he thanked Strictly bosses for their "understanding" and support. "So, let's see what happens when I get sorted. I'm gonna be taking it easy for now and I'll be able to return to work very shortly," he continued. "It's always been my honour to, in some way and my weird way, to just to be... just to show that I'm from Northern Ireland. "I'm very proud and I'm sorry I've let you down in any way. But I'll continue to do my best." Sarah James, Executive Producer, BBC Studios said of the exit: 'We've absolutely loved getting to know Kristian in this short time, and he has all the makings of a brilliant Strictly Come Dancing contestant. "We're incredibly sorry to lose him from this year's series and we all wish him a speedy recovery.' Strictly Come Dancing kicks off next month on BBC One.


The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Melvin Odoom has secretly found love – and it's thanks to an I'm A Celeb mate
THE DJ famously had a major crush on a telly star DAMN ODOOM Melvin Odoom has secretly found love – and it's thanks to an I'm A Celeb mate I'M A Celebrity's Melvin Odoom has secretly found love - and it's all thanks to his former campmate. Sparks flew between Radio One DJ Melvin, 45, and his 31-year-old girlfriend Hannah Holland after being introduced through social media influencer GK Barry. 4 Melvin competed on the hit TV show last year Credit: Rex 4 He met his now-girlfriend, Hannah Holland, after the series came to a close Credit: Instagram/hannahroseholland The couple grew close after filming wrapped on the 2024 series in Australia, where Hannah had flown out for work. An insider told The Sun: 'Melvin and Hannah really hit it off and are incredibly happy together. 'They're both keen to keep their relationship out of the spotlight, but their chemistry is undeniable. 'It's now an open secret in the industry - everyone's thrilled for Melvin.' Redhead Hannah spent time Down Under in her role as CEO of HLD - a London-based Entertainment Agency - which represents GK Barry. She signed the star, real name Grace Keeling, who'd gone viral with her relatable and funny TikTok videos during the Covid lockdown. Hannah's paths crossed with Melvin while the pair watched from the family and friends area outside camp after Melvin was fourth to be voted out of the jungle. Presenter Melvin, who openly discussed his single status on the ITV show, had hopes of winning the heart of his cougar crush Carol Vorderman, 64, after leaving the show. He brought a cushion with a picture of her face printed on it as his luxury item on the show. The 45-year-old even role-played a date with her alongside his campmates - calling her his 'dream woman'. Former Countdown host Carol sent a voice note into the jungle spin-off show, Unpacked, telling him: 'See you on the other side.' I'm A Celeb's Melvin Odoom reveals Carol Vorderman has GHOSTED him She ghosted Melvin after sending her his number on social media. Melvin - who co-hosts the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge with Rickie Haywood-Williams and Charlie Hedges - admitted finding dating 'hard' before meeting Hannah. Speaking about looking for a future partner - he described wanting someone 'adventurous, motivated and passionate'. Meanwhile Hannah was focused on work before locking eyes with her now-partner - having secured the first TikTok star in I'm A Celeb history, a place in the jungle. She told followers at the time: 'Myself and Grace put this on our strategy 3 years ago and we bloody have done it! 'I'm so proud of you Grace, I can't wait for you to show the world how kind, funny and quick you are. Enjoy the big kangaroo balls.' GK Barry is said to be "thrilled" for the couple, who attended her 26th birthday party earlier this month. The Saving Grace podcaster and guests dressed as 'grandmas' as they enjoyed a knees-up at The Prince pub in London. Looking almost unrecognisable, Hannah transformed into 'momager' Kris Jenner for the intimate event - while Melvin snubbed the theme and stayed casual in a white top and shorts. Our insider added: "Melvin and Hannah are head over heels, it's the real deal." I'm A Celebrity was watched by eight million people last series, which was won by McFly star Danny Jones. 4 Melvin was introduced to Hannah by GK Barry, who Melvin enjoyed a fun-filled pub trip with dressed up as grandmas Credit: Instagram / gkbarry_