Who is Bob Halley? PA to Elton John’s late mum Sheila Farebrother who was left half of her fortune
BOB Halley is a personal assistant who worked for Elton John for nearly three decades.
He ceased working with the singer in 2008, but hit headlines in 2018 when it was revealed he had been left half of Elton's mum Shelia Farebrother’s fortune.
Who is Bob Halley?
Bob Halley was Elton John’s former assistant and chauffeur.
His departure from the singer’s inner circle in 2008 in believed to have sparked the feud between Elton and his mother.
The PA, who is now 71, remained close with Sheila up until her death in December 2017.
When she passed away he tweeted: “Today the world lost a wonderful lady.. Sheila Farebrother... Lady F... this lady had an amazing zest for life.. the world will be a sadder place without her presence... R.I.P. Lady F.. my love always..”
What did Shelia Farebrother leave him in her will?
The Sun revealed that Bob was given half of Sheila’s £534,000 fortune, while Elton was left two urns.
He knew nothing of the bequest until told by The Sun told him on February 27, 2018.
Speaking from his gated £2million West Sussex home, he said: “It’s a surprise to me. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Sheila changed her will just three weeks before her death — leaving her superstar son two urns and some family photos.
What was Bob Halley’s involvement in Elton and Sheila’s feud?
After years of tension, Sheila and Sir Elton stopped talking entirely in 2008 when he demanded she cut off communication with two of their oldest friends — Bob Halley and John Reid.
Sheila said her son asked her to “drop” Bob when he left his entourage after 30 years, but she refused saying Bob was “like a son”.
In 2015 she said of their row: “He told me I thought more of Bob Halley than I did of my own son. "I said to him, ‘And you think more of that f***ing thing you married than your own mother’.”
Sheila’s open attack on David Furnish led to a savage war of words between mother and son that lasted almost a decade.
She blamed Furnish, 55, for axing Bob and ex-manager John Reid, but Sir Elton’s friends claim Bob quit of his own accord.
The singer later said of his mother: “I don’t hate her, but I don’t want her in my life.”
Their relationship hit rock bottom when Sheila and Bob hired an Elton tribute act for her 90th birthday as the star stayed away.
But they appeared to have buried the hatchet in May 2017, as Sir Elton tweeted a heartfelt message to Sheila, saying: “Dear Mum, Happy Mother’s Day! So happy we are back in touch. Love, Elton.”