Paul McCartney says he rekindled friendship with John Lennon over parenting and baking bread before he died

March 21, 2026 - 19:15

In a heartfelt reflection, Paul McCartney has shared intimate details of how he and John Lennon repaired their storied friendship in the years before Lennon's tragic death. The former Beatles bandmates, whose partnership had become strained after the group's dissolution, found common ground in the simple, domestic pursuits of parenting and baking bread.

McCartney revealed that as both men settled into family life in the late 1970s, they often discussed the joys and challenges of raising their children. This shared experience provided a new, deeply personal connection beyond their monumental musical history. Simultaneously, during a period when Lennon had largely stepped back from the music industry, he developed a passion for baking sourdough bread at his home in New York's Dakota building.

McCartney fondly recalled receiving tips and recipes from Lennon, who would enthusiastically detail his baking process during their phone calls. These conversations about nurturing families and creating something from scratch in the kitchen helped heal old wounds. The mundane yet meaningful exchanges allowed them to reconnect as friends, separate from their global fame, rebuilding their bond on a foundation of quiet, everyday life before Lennon was killed in 1980.