"As you will know, there has been an ongoing case concerning myself, phone-tapping and the News of the World. You will also know that my position on this has always been that justice must be done. Phone-tapping or hacking is illegal and if it can be proved that my phone was hacked into, then we must, must, must,always, always,always see the law do its job. Right to the very end. It's only then that we find out all the facts.
I would also like to point out to you, the enormous pain and anguish this has caused me, my family, my lovers, my friends, my acquaintances, my fans and pretty well everyone on the planet. At no stage did I seek or want the kind of publicity which sought to expose me as someone who as a child had cheated with cigarette cards. I am not here either admitting or denying that I ever did such a thing. However, any kind of knowledge concerning a game I played with my friend Wilf in 1956 could only have been ascertained from a private phone call I had with my brother in 2006. And there, as far as I'm concerned, the matter is closed. Until I write my memoir. Which is called: 'Taking on News International'.
Finally, News International have agreed to pay me the sum of 67 million pounds in compensation for the pain, anguish and distress this has caused me. But I am not - as some have said - dropping the case because I've been given the money. I'm not in this for the money. I could give that 67 million to charity. I could. But I'm not. But that's got nothing to do with it. The point is: neither I nor News International want to spend months in court arguing over cigarette cards. And, as it happens, 67 million smackeroonies is seriously tasty wonga."
