What is EGOT? How many are EGOT winners besides Elton John? Complete list

Winning an Academy Award, an Emmy, a Grammy or a Tony are the highest recognitions that actors and musicians can achieve with British born singer Elton John joining an elite list on Monday night’s Emmy Awards with only 19 people in history having won all four honors during their career.

Last year, Viola Davis entered this hallowed ground and dominated headlines with her Grammy Award win for an audio recording of her memoir “Finding Me” which added to her 2017 Oscar win for supporting actress for her performance as the wife of a baseball player in “Fences”. She also won a best lead actress Tony in 2010 for the same role, in the original play on Broadway. She previously scooped an Emmy in 2015 for her performance in the television show “How to Get Away with Murder”.

Elton completes entertainment’s grand slam

The 76-year-old Middlesex born John earned his Emmy for “Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium,” which streamed on Disney+ in November 2022. The singer was unable to attend the ceremony as he was still recovering from a recent knee surgery procedure, producers of the special said.

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“I am incredibly humbled to be joining the unbelievably talented group of EGOT winners tonight,” John said in a statement. “The journey to this moment has been filled with passion, dedication, and the unwavering support of my fans all around the world.”

The 76-year-old singer has won six Grammys over his musical career. He won a Tony for best original song for “Aida” and two Oscars for songs including “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” from “The Lion King.”

How many people have an EGOT?

Elton John became the nineteenth artists to achieve this entertainment grand slam and joins an illustrious list featuring the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Mel Brooks, James Earl Jones, and Whoopi Goldberg.

The first person to secure this feat was actress Helen Hayes, who won the awards in the years of 1932, 1940, 1977, and 1983.

Producer Ben Winston, who took to the stage with Elton’s husband, David Furnish, to collect the award, said: “I am not Elton John, sadly he had a knee op. He’s absolutely fine but wanted to send his love and thanks to the Television Academy for this incredible award.”

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“We didn’t know it would be historic because it was going to win a man, who has created the soundtrack to our lives, he’s done so much great for society, who is all of our hero. We didn’t know it would win him an Egot.”