Sir Elton John says Kate Bush helped ''save'' his life.

The 'Rocket Man' legend has credited 'Don't Give Up' - the singer's 1986 duet with Peter Gabriel - with being what he needed to ''get sober'', although he has never told the star about the impact she has had.

Speaking in 'The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill' - an upcoming new BBC documentary - he said: ''This was one record that saved my life.

''That record helped me get sober ... So she played a big part in my rebirth. That record helped me so much. I never told her that but it did.''

Elton was inspired by Kate's lines in the track, in which she sings ''don't give up''.

Her lines in the chorus include: ''Rest your head. You worry too much. It's going to be all right.

''When times get rough you can fall back on us. Don't give up.''

Meanwhile, Elton's own struggles with addiction will be the subject of a new biopic following his decision to reveal the secrets of the diaries he wrote while in rehab, with 'Billy Elliot' writer Lee Hall penning the script.

He previously said: ''One day he took me to his house and opened a safe and he had all his private diaries that nobody had seen from when he was in rehab and left me there to read all his stuff.

''But he's never commented once on the script, he hasn't interfered at all.''