James McCartney may once more withdraw into isolation after spending his early years in a private orbit if he finds out that his adoring admirers are criticizing his appearance.

James McCartney recently participated at an event with his famed father Paul McCartney and got caught up in comparison discussions.

People said that he resembled Paul McCartney the elder so much that they wondered if he, too, “was overweight and didn’t look after himself.”

James McCartney, the lone child of Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney, avoided the celebrity lifestyle for the most part, even working as a waiter, until the 2000s, when he began to make a name for himself as a musician.

Big sisters Stella (51) and Mary (53) joyfully followed the path to fame created by their father, while his stepsister Heather, 60, accepted a relatively low-profile life as an American-British potter.

James was greatly impacted by the pop-rock culture that his musical parents exposed him to because he spent the first almost three years of his life touring with Sir Paul and Lady Linda in their band Wings.

“It’s hard to live up to The Beatles. When Wings toured they got slated. Even Dad found it hard living up to The Beatles,” James explained. “I had to serve my time as a musician and wait until I had a good body of songs and for a time when both myself and my music were ready. I don’t want to sit around. I want to earn my own living.”

In the 2000s, James played backup percussion and guitar for some of his dad’s solo releases, like “Flaming Pie” and “Driving Rain.” He also played lead guitar for his mom on the track “The Light Comes from Within,” on the posthumously released album “Wide Prairie.”

James acknowledges that the loss of his mother in 1998 shattered his ‘ideal world’.

“When I was 17 I wrote my first song and then Mum was diagnosed with cancer. She died when I was 20 and that’s when I went into a very dark period,” he said. He continued, “I was studying art, photography and English at college. I had spent a lot of time at home with Mum and Dad. I got a bit of flak from the college because I wasn’t really present, but I never regretted spending that time with her.”

James cut himself off from the family and turned to drugs and drink for solace. His relationship with Heather Mills, his dad’s new wife, who Paul was married to from 2002 to 2008, compounded his difficulties.

“My relationship with Heather was not very good. I didn’t like her. But I wouldn’t want to say anything negative about her because she’s a good mother to Beatrice and that’s the most important thing,” James said, speaking of his baby sister that Paul shares with Mills. “Beatrice is adorable. She’s great, a real joy for the whole family.”

James reconnected with his family in 2007 after his award-winning father was hospitalized and underwent angioplasty surgery. “Dad’s great now but that episode made me realize how important he is to me. He was suffering in his own way [because of his high-profile split from Mills]. He was under stress. In hindsight I wish I’d been more supportive,” James said.

In 2011, Paul married Nancy Shevell, to which James says, “Nancy’s my new mother. I feel that. Definitely. She’s very genuine.”

“I removed myself from my family for a while. Now I want to immerse myself in them,” James shared. “I love Dad so much. I’m in a happy place. I’m not high, which is a good thing. I just want to be the best person I can be.”

Slowly gaining traction as a reputable musician, James released his debut single “Available Light” (2010) and then, collaborated with his dad, who worked as co-producer, James delivered his first album, “Me” in 2013, followed by “The Blackberry Train” in 2016.

He had a largely secluded existence, although in 2012 he admitted to the BBC that as a kid, he wanted to be “better than the Beatles.”

“When I got to a certain age, I realized that I was somewhat better than other kids at school at guitar and took pride and enjoyment in that,” James said.

“I then dreamt of being better than The Beatles. I’m not sure if I can do that. If anything, I would love to be equal to The Beatles–but even that’s quite tough.”

He even admitted he wanted to bring back the Beatles with the children of the Fab Four, including Sean Lennon, George Harrison’s son, Dhani Harrison, and Zach and Jason Starkey, sons of Ringo Starr.

James soon stressed that it was merely a concept, NBC says, quelling the media frenzy of a Beatles revival.

“Well, looks like quite some attention being given to my BBC interview! Honestly, I was just thinking out loud about playing with Beatles family friends, nothing more. My band’s going to be on tour in the UK and US for most of this year, and the shows are going great! I’m so grateful…. Lots of love to you all…!”

Recently, James appeared with his dad and big sisters at the private viewing of the “Paul McCartney 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm” exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

The exhibition includes exceptional images by Sir Paul from The Beatles’ early years. James was stylish at the celebrity-studded event wearing a black suit and a white shirt, much like his famous father. James, an addict in recovery, was thrust into the limelight where he is open to criticism, and people voiced their harsh opinions on him.

“They look very much alike! I think this is what Paul would’ve looked like (in his heyday) if he was overweight and didn’t look after himself. His son needs to start looking after himself. It seems as though he over eats, probably an alcoholic. And doesn’t look like his hygiene is up to par.”

Many, reacted to a Facebook past saying that James is Handsome: “They have a different standard of what ‘handsome’ is….Yikes!” writes one user, while another said, “I don’t think I would say he was handsome got his dad’s eyes but that’s all.”

Some suggested that James aged poorly: “Sorry to say this but his son looks like his father and his father looks like his son.”

One supporter, who is among the handful of online people who stand up for James, writes: “Wow look at all the women body shaming the poor guy for his looks, if it was a woman they would be all up in arms if there was any negative comments, leave him alone ffs nothing wrong with him….probably gets more women than most men in here too lol.”

Have you listened to any James McCartney albums? Are you the kind of person who loves independent musicians, or are you more likely to listen to his songs since he is the son of a legendary musician?