Elton John’s phone call to Putin turns out to be Russian prankster

A well-known Russian prankster says he called the singer Elton John, posing as Vladimir Putin, to talk to him about the issue of gay rights in the country.

Yesterday the singer thanked the President for reaching out.

But it appears to have been a spoof phone call, which will be aired on Russian TV tonight.

Joker Alexei Stolyarov says Sir Elton seemed thrilled to be speaking to Mr Putin: “He feel that Vladimir Putin is most important person in the world and it was privilege for him to talk with president.”