Molly Meldrum has apologised for a supposed wardrobe malfunction that left his bare buttocks exposed to the audience at a recent Elton John concert in Melbourne.
The incident took place at John’s show at AAMI Park stadium last Friday (January 13). Some way through the performance – which formed part of John’s broader Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour – the singer was heard referring to Meldrum as a “national treasure” and thanking him for his “love and loyalty”.
Shortly after, Meldrum appeared onstage, joining John for his rendition of ‘The Bitch Is Back’. Meldrum danced alongside John’s piano before his pants dropped to his knees, leaving his backside projected onto the stadium screens in full view of thousands of concertgoers. Meldrum continued dancing for some time, seemingly to John’s amusement, before exiting the stage.
If seeing Molly Meldrum’s bare bum was on your 2023 bingo card, here you go. (From tonight’s Elton John concert at AAMI Park Melbourne) pic.twitter.com/7B7OYZWhgl
— Tish (@oztish) January 13, 2023
Speaking of the stunt in an interview with the Herald Sun published yesterday (January 15), Meldrum blamed the mooning on a wardrobe malfunction. “At the start of the night, my belt buckle broke and my pants were already falling down”, Meldrum said. “And on stage, one thing led to another.”
Meldrum, who has been friends with John since 1971, went on to reveal that his appearance on stage was not planned, and expressed regret over the impromptu moment. “I shouldn’t have ventured on stage, but I just wanted to tell Elton that I loved him,” Meldrum said. “Some people thought it was part of the show. It wasn’t.”
He continued: “I should have just given Elton a kiss and got off the stage, but when you’re that close to a genius at work, it’s something to savour.” The singer and music critic apologised to the security guards who “couldn’t do anything to stop a crazy man in a cowboy hat”, before making a final comparison between himself and John.
“Elton is an icon and a legend. I’m just a naughty boy, who needs a new belt.”
Meldrum’s cameo occurred at the first of two of John’s performances at the Melbourne arena, with the second taking place last Saturday (January 14). The singer will next perform a two-night outing at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium from tomorrow (January 17), before rounding out the tour’s Australian leg in Brisbane this weekend (January 21).