Sir Paul McCartney is excited about seeing Usain Bolt at the Olympics

Sir Paul McCartney (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles…)

Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney is a huge fan of athletics and is hoping to see Jamaican runner Usain Bolt - the fastest man on earth - run in the men's 100 metres sprint final at London 2012.

He said: "I'm a big fan of athletics, when that's on the TV, I don't go out, so the Olympic Games are great for that for me. I love the sprints, obviously the 100 metres, and I've got to see Mr. Bolt, he's just a bit phenomenal, I don't think anyone can beat him.

"I like the swimming finals. It's a great thing and a big year. It's easy to be cynical and you always get that, but I think now it's happening, people are getting fired up."

Paul is performing as part of the Olympics Opening Ceremony on Friday (27.07.12) and rather than getting a fee he is getting tickets to his favourite events.

In an interview with BBC Radio 6 Music, he said: "That's one of the perks. They don't pay you to perform, but what does happen is you get tickets to events, so they asked me what I would ideally like to go to, and so I sent a little list."

While he will take part in the ceremony - directed by 'Slumdog Millionaire' filmmaker Danny Boyle - Paul is remaining tight-lipped about what exactly he will play.

He added: "It's a secret; he won't let me tell you. Danny Boyle is directing it and he has a pretty good idea of what he wants to do, and to be honest I've pretty much listened to him. He knows what he's got and how the rest of the show goes."

Sir Paul McCartney will have a low-key 70th birthday celebration

Sir Paul McCartney 

The Beatles legend reaches the milestone age next Monday but insists he doesn't want a big party and will instead mark the occasion with his closest friends, family, and wife Nancy Shevell.

He said: "A big do isn't really me."

And though he is close to 70, the 'When I'm 64' hitmaker insists he has no plans to tone down his career, though he and Nancy find some potential visions for his showbiz future quite funny.

He told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "I must say Nancy and I did have some fun moments imagining me with a little pinky ring, in rhinestone, with a little glass of whisky and soda, sitting on a high stool on stage next to the piano doing six months in Las Vegas.

"It's nice to think about that for a second. And then completely rule it out."

Paul described his recent album, 'Kisses on the Bottom' - which featured covers of old songs - as a "romantic" gesture for Nancy, who he married last October.

He said: "It was a romantic gesture. The timing was good, marrying Nancy, it was a special period in my life."

Prince Charles and Sir Paul McCartney paid tribute to a sick Duke of Edinburgh at the Diamond Jubilee celebration

Sir Paul McCartney 

Speaking at the musical event in London on Monday Prince Charles included a tribute to his father in a speech he made for Queen Elizabeth.

Speaking about the Queen's husband who was in hospital just miles away from Buckingham Palace, he told the crowds that his absence put a dampener on the event.

He admitted: The only sad thing about tonight is that my father cannot be here with us because, unfortunately, he's been taken unwell. If we shout loud enough he might just be able to hear us in hospital."

Sir Paul, who was closing the concert with three songs, wished the Duke well, during his set.

He said: "We all send our best wishes for a speedy recovery. I hear he's not too bad."

The 90-year-old Duke was taken to King Edward VII hospital in the capital city from Windsor Castle as a "precautionary measure" after developing a bladder infection.

Take That star Robbie Williams opened the show with his track 'Let Me Entertain You' while Cheryl Cole and Gary Barlow performed a duet of 'Need You Now'.

Other young celebrities entertaining the famous family included Kylie Minogue, Will.i.am Jessie J, JLS and Ed Sheeran.

While veterans Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Tom Jones, Sir Elton John, Dame Shirley Bassey and Grace Jones also took to the stage to mark Her Majesty's 60 years on the throne.

1,400 police looked after Sir Paul McCartney during his stay in the crime-capital Bogota

The 69-year-old former Beatle and his wife Nancy Shevell, 51, were surrounded by a "ring of steel" throughout their two-day trip to Bogota, and even flew in and out of the city - which has one of the world's highest crime rates - from the military airport.

A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "From the moment Paul's plane landed to the moment he left, officials designated 1,400 police for the whole two days.

"It is a massive security operation because he's the biggest star to ever go to the country.

"Although there haven't been any specific threats, nobody left anything to chance."

However, the insider insists Paul made no demands for the security measure. The source added: "Paul is very easy-going. His only concern is putting on an amazing show for his fans."

Meanwhile, the 'Hey Jude' hitmaker's wealth increased by a third last year thanks to his marriage to businesswoman Nancy, and earned him the number three place on the Sunday Times' Rich List of Music Millionaires.

His wife brought a £150 million fortune to the marriage when they wed in October 2011 due to her share her father's company, New England Motor Freight, taking Paul's wealth from £495million to £665million.

Beatles Sir Paul McCartney wants his own tourism business

Sir Paul McCartney

The Beatles legend is keen to start up a sightseeing firm in his home city of Liverpool, North West England, as he wants to "give something back" to the local people who have always supported him.

He said: "I would really love to start a sightseeing business. I have my own magical mystery tours of the city, my own special route I go on and I think other people would love it, too.

"I want to give something back to the locals."
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And the 69-year-old singer would definitely be able to afford to set up a new company as it was recently revealed he made £29 million in 2011.

The 'Hey Jude' hit-maker almost doubled his earnings in the past year, after banking £16.4 million in 2010.

His company made a pre-tax profit of £12.8 million, while the previous year the figure stood at £9 million.

However, Paul - who tied the knot with third wife Nancy Shevell in London in October - hasn't increased his spending, with company reports showing he paid himself just £1 million, in comparison to the £6.7 million salary he gave himself in 2010.

A source said: "McCartney must have picked up a few lucky coins in the past couple of years.

"Not only has he got married to a lovely lady, he's also had a hugely successful world tour and brought out another album."

Sir Paul McCartney was 'very emotional' watching a new documentary about George Harrison

George Harrison and Paul McCartney

The Beatles musician was moved by Martin Scorsese's four-hour tribute to his former band mate, 'Living in the Material World', as it reminded him of old times with his friend, who passed away from lung cancer in 2001.

He told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper: "I was impressed - it actually really reminded me again what I already knew, which was how cool George was.

"Of course, it was very emotional for me too. But it was really good."

Alongside the documentary on George, last year also saw the release of 'LennoNYC', about another Beatles bandmate, John Lennon - who was assassinated in 1980 - but Paul doesn't feel he's ready for a documentary about himself yet.

He said: "I think you gotta die for that. I dunno. I'm not really that interested in me. I'd rather watch someone else. You know, I'm not good at watching me.

"I'm more interested in other people. I know about me. And I'm satisfied with what I know about me."

Paul's latest album, the soundtrack to ballet 'Ocean's Kingdom' is released today.

Sir Paul McCartney to marry Nancy Shevell at same venue as he wed his first wife Linda

Paul McCartney

The Beatles legend is set to tie the knot with the American businesswoman at the Westminster Register Office in London, where he and Linda Eastman wed in 1969.

Official Banns – proclamations announcing a couples' intention to wed – were posted on Wednesday (14.09.11), allowing the couple to wed 16 days afterward. They are expected to marry at the venue, also known as Marylebone Register Office, next month.

Nancy is said to be keen on having a small wedding for family rather than a huge lavish affair.

The couple's engagement was announced in May, with Paul, 69, giving Nancy, 51, a vintage 1925 Cartier engagement solitaire diamond ring worth £400,000 and she admitted the proposal came as a "total surprise".

When asked about the wedding, she previously said: "Small. Just our families. I don’t know the exact date. Don’t ask what I’ll wear. How dressy do you get to stand before a Justice of the Peace in his chambers? Which is what we’re going to do."

When Paul and Linda wed, hundreds of fans lined the streets to try and catch a glimpse of the ceremony. The pair lived happily together until Linda's death from cancer in 1998.

Paul married for a second time when he tied the knot with ex-model Heather Mills in a lavish affair – rumoured to have cost £1.5 million - in 2002, but they eventually divorced in 2008 following an acrimonious break-up.

Paul is a father to four grown up children, including fashion designer Stella McCartney, from his marriage to Linda and he also has a daughter, seven-year-old Beatrice, from his marriage to Heather.

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