Former Beatle Ringo Starr will no longer sign memorabilia for fans and will throw away all fan mail he receives in the future, he has said.

"Please do not send fan mail to any address you have," he said in a video message on his website.

"Nothing will be signed after the 20th of October. If that is the date on the envelope, it's gonna be tossed.

"I'm warning you with peace and love I have too much to do," the 68-year-old drummer said.

Dressed in black clothes and dark glasses, Starr said it was "a serious message to everybody watching".

He added: "No more fan mail and no objects to be signed. Nothing."


I'm gobsmacked at his attitude, well perhaps more about the wording of his statement. I appreciate that he is probably fed up with it all now and wants to retire, but you would think he would be a bit more kind to his fans.

I was just a bit surprised to hear that peopele are still sending him fan mail.
Maybe a lot of people are doing it now so that they can then sell things on e bay for an inflated price????? Not really fans then, if that is the case.
Just a thought.

Hi Mazzy, yes, maybe that is happening, I had never thought of that.

He upset Liverpool quite badly before this!

Viv

He narrates one of my favourite programmes.

Is that Thomas the Tank Tony?

Hi Viv, I did hear that he was a bit of a let down at the City of Culture opening ceremony!

Just for you, Victors Mate, if Rowan's assumption is correct!! If not, apologies!
http://www.livevideo.com/media/tag/thom ... rst-s.aspx

After 50 plus years, I can't say that I blame him; we're all entitled to a peaceful retirement and maybe that's what he's looking for.

Uhm thanks I've added it to my favourites

Far better than being the Beatles bomob dropper.

Some people in the limelight make a policy of not giving autographs. Generally, they make their policy clear in a polite and sensitive way and most fans respect them. Collecting autographs may be a peculiarly mindless and useless activity, like trainspotting but many people value the activity highly and that is why sensible celebrities try to be polite and sensitive. After all, all these people whether they are actors, singers or whatever, are dependent upon fans for their livelihoods. No fans, No career. And Ringo Starr has done very nicely thank you for a man of limited ability who was lucky enough to be teamed up with much more talented people.

I think the way in which he has announced this, the tone of his announcement, is rude and dismissive. If I were an autograph collecting fan, I'd be affronted. I'd feel I was being told, "I'm rich. You don't matter any more. I'm tossing you where I toss my rubbish."

Exactly - cheeky bugger. Has he forgotten who put him there.

He has supposedly backtracked now!

after upsetting fans, Starr has chosen to back down.

In a new statement, the rocker insists the 'ban' on fanmail was "in direct response to an inordinate amount of items which have recently appeared for sale on (memorabilia auction website) eBay, and to those that repeatedly send cards and items to be signed."

He adds, "(It's) a waste of paper and we all should be mindful of our carbon footprint."

Starr insists the video message wasn't aimed at his "real fans" who have acknowledged that he "has always signed items and is in fact the only Beatle to have been doing so."

The drummer admits he was "amazed" by the public and media reaction to his video message, and urges fans to "read this in a mellow way."

So he's had his bit of publicity now!!