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CNN Live At Daybreak

Paul McCartney Announces Engagement to Heather Mills

Aired July 27, 2001 - 08:48   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL MCCARTNEY, FORMER BEATLE: Do you want to show them the ring, Darling? Would you like to show them the ring? There it is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What kind of a ring?

MCCARTNEY: It's a sapphire from India. It's an Indian sapphire. We're very happy and we'll get married sometime next year. That's about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: That's a happy couple if you ever seen one. Paul McCartney, Heather Mills making it official this morning.

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: It is official.

MCEDWARDS: They're engaged.

LIN: Yes, it's official. Larry King, you know, in fact, was asking about you know, when these two people first met. Do we have that sound? Darn, I wanted to hear it. All right, well, they first met -- actually, Heather Mills was speaking about land mines at a nonprofit -- a foundation that she...

MCEDWARDS: Yes, it's a charity that she runs for people who have had their limbs -- lost their limbs, that kind of thing. She actually had a limb amputated below the knee in a -- just a freak accident with a police motorcycle. But it's a cause she sort of took up. They met completely by accident.

LIN: Yes, and at a really good time for him. I think he had gone through a very long mourning period for his wife, Linda McCartney who had died from breast cancer. So, we're real happy for the couple. He is 59. She is 33. You know, you take it from there.

We're going to be actually talking to -- oh, we're going to go to him now.

MCEDWARDS: Yes, I think we've got him now. Peter Castro who is with "People" magazine and knows all about this story. He's been working on it. Peter, was this a big surprise?

PETER CASTRO, "PEOPLE": Not really. You know, Paul and Heather had been making the rounds. They were very public about their relationship and very happy. And you know, he even came on a British television show and surprised her. And it was kind of corny but sweet, gave her a kiss and professed his love on the air, which for him, was a really remarkable thing to do.

MCEDWARDS: But he is quite -- he's quite a romantic, isn't he? I mean I've heard that he is -- he's sort of a nurturer and likes to do things for others.

CASTRO: Yes, he is. And I mean, you know, he's written some of the most beautiful songs of his career for the women in his life. And he's sort of like the poster boy for monogamy. When Paul McCartney loves you, I mean it's -- you're the woman in his life forever. And he does nurture. And this is something -- I think Heather Mills a woman who he loves very much but you know he's always liked to help people. And clearly, -- I mean she's an amputee victim was sort of not exactly the kind of you know, model starlet that most rockers go after. And I think he found a vulnerability in her that appealed to him very much.

LIN: Certainly, a beautiful woman. Is she anything like Linda McCartney?

CASTRO: Well, she is in that she kind of, you know, is not a celebrity in her own right, is very simple. She's also a vegetarian. I think that appealed to him enormously. They were both blond. You know, but I think they were also very different. And you know, he once said, "Look, Linda was the love of my life. I'll never love anyone like her. But you know, you have special kinds of love and Heather is very special to me."

LIN: What do you make of the age difference between the two?

CASTRO: Well, you know, I mean it's not a -- exactly an Anna Nicole Smith situation but it's also not unusual for aging rockers to pursue younger woman. So I mean we've seen it all before.

MCEDWARDS: Do you think he -- is he interested in her causes, though? I mean do you think now that they're engaged and as they closer to the time of the actual wedding, we'll -- the public will be seeing more of them in public, seeing them talking about their shared issues together?

CASTRO: Yes. One of the things that Paul loved about Linda was the fact that she was such an activist and she was such an activist for the rights of animals. And when Paul met Heather, actually, they were at a charity function and she was giving a speech about, you know, people who are missing limbs. And I think that appealed to him. You know, he doesn't want a ditzy -- just a -- he doesn't want an arm piece. He wants somebody with a mind and somebody who does good for other people like himself.

LIN: All right, and I take it she doesn't sing?

CASTRO: Let's hope not.

LIN: She won't be doing any Wing span reproduces.

CASTRO: I think he's -- you know, I think he learned his lesson.

LIN: Great story. It's a great story and it's nice to see them so happy.

(CROSSTALK)

LIN: Thanks so much to you.

MCEDWARDS: Thank you.

CASTRO: Thank you.

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