Elton John name drops about Gnomeo and Juliet

Elton John has revealed he called on his celebrity mates to voice characters in his new movie, Gnomeo and Juliet.

"We were able to phone people like Michael Caine and Matt Lucas because they're friends. Jason Statham and Ozzy Osbourne... that's four people already.

"When you consider you've still got Emily Blunt, James McAvoy, Richard Wilson, Julie Walters, Stephen Merchant, the cast is pretty wonderful, then you've got Dolly Parton and Hulk Hogan," the singer said.

Gnomeo and Juliet, produced by Elton John and his partner David Furnish, is a take on Shakespearean classic Romeo and Juliet, but is more child-friendly and packed full of Elton's hits.

The 3D animation has been 11 years in the making, something Elton blames on their lead characters.

"The garden gnomes. American's don't get garden gnomes like we do. They're a European thing," he said.

David added: "There's always underlying gnomaphobia in America!"