Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr have honoured their former Beatles bandmate John Lennon on what would have been his 80th birthday.
The pair both shared tributes to the legendary musician, who died in New York in 1980, after he was shot by Mark David Chapman.
Sharing a black and white photograph of them together on Instagram, Sir Paul wrote: “I love this picture, it reminds me of the bond between us. Happy 80th John. Love Paul”.
Overnight, Beatles drummer Sir Ringo Starr also remembered John.
He posted on Instagram: “Let’s celebrate John‘s 80th birthday with come together Friday, 9 October I still miss you man peace and love to Yoko Sean and Julian.”
Yoko Ono, John’s wife, also posted a short video showing New York’s Empire State Building lit up in blue, and with a peace sign, in honour of his birthday.
“Happy birthday John! It’s lit!” she wrote.
In his hometown of Liverpool, the council has launched a worldwide contest to find another great songwriter in honour of his birthday.
A collection of previously unseen pictures of Lennon in New York will also go on display at The Beatles Story in Liverpool.
A pop-up TV channel called LENNON80 has also launched, which will feature special programming, including the documentary charting John and Yoko’s Bed-In For Peace in Montreal, Canada, in 1969, as well as the couple’s 1971 interview on Parkinson.
