Patti Newton has spoken for the first time since the death of her Australian TV icon husband Bert, revealing that she missed his final breath by “minutes”.
Bert passed away on Saturday while undergoing palliative care after having his leg amputated earlier this year due to an advanced toe infection.
Addressing the media from her home in Melbourne on Sunday, Patti described Bert’s death as “very, very devastating.”
“All our hearts are breaking because he was just the most wonderful man,” she said.
She continued: “I left at ten past seven, and I was just pulling around to come into my drive and I get the call to say he’d taken his last breath at 7.22pm. So I missed him, but maybe he didn’t want me to be there for his last breath.”
“He had such a fabulous attitude. And he gave us so much joy right up to the end.”
Patti and Bert had been married for 46 years and had two children together, Matthew and Lauren.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Sunday that a state funeral will be held for the quadruple Gold Logie-winning entertainer.
“Bert Newton was an icon, a larrikin and a born entertainer. We have never known TV without Bert – he was there from the beginning,” Andrews said.
“Above all his achievements, he was a family man and his greatest partnership was with his wife of almost 50 years, Patti. Our thoughts and prayers are with her, their children and their grandchildren.”
“We will all have an opportunity to honour his memory, his talent and his achievements at a state funeral. Details will be shared in the coming days.”
For more on this topic, head over to the Film & TV Observer.
Check out Patti Newton paying tribute to Bert last Valentine’s Day:
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