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David Furnish has dismissed comparisons to Yoko Ono.

The 59-year-old producer infuriated his husband Sir Elton John’s long-term staff when he took over the management of the ‘Rocketman’ singer’s affairs and fired a number of employees, sparking comparisons with the activist, who was blamed for breaking up The Beatles after she married John Lennon.

David is quoted by the Daily Mail newspaper’s Eden Confidential column as saying: “That was more when I took over the management role.

“Inevitably, when you write a business plan, you look at the team. Do we have the right team to bring this vision to life? Because we’re moving into new media and skillsets.

“I had to make some changes to the team and that’s never a popular thing to do.”

Of the Yoko nickname, he added: “It wasn’t so much Elton saying it as what other people were saying.

“Elton doesn’t call me that now. We have a wonderful team, everyone is sharing the vision.”

David admitted he initially had reservations about taking on the task but ultimately knew he and his 75-year-old spouse – who have sons Zachary, 11, and nine-year-old Elijah together – would work well together and their relationship has proven to be a “real advantage”.

He told the i newspaper: “I did have a lot of second thoughts about becoming his manager. It takes up so much of our time. But we worked well together in the past on films like Billy Elliot. I think it’s a real advantage because I have a better insight than anyone about where he’s at, at any time.

“Elton is very decisive, if you provide him with the rationale and do your analysis properly, he gives you a quick Yes or No and then let’s you get on with it.”