Aussie music legend Molly Meldrum, the man who brought some of the world’s most popular music into living rooms across the nation, is reportedly facing tough times.
Once the vibrant face of Australia’s music scene, the 81-year-old icon is now said to be “struggling,” according to his friend and former Countdown announcer Gavin Wood. Wood shared the concerning update about Meldrum’s health on Wednesday, October 2, during a Royal Australian Mint event that launched a commemorative coin honouring the iconic music program.
“He’s struggling,” Wood told the Herald Sun, referencing a fall Meldrum suffered in 2011.
At the time of the fall, Meldrum was found unconscious in the backyard of his Richmond home before he was placed in intensive care at the Alfred Hospital and received surgery for head injuries. In addition to his head injuries, he suffered a broken shoulder, broken ribs, a punctured lung, and cracked vertebrae and was in a coma for five weeks.
“The fall, it is all down to the fall, was a horrible thing to have happened,” Wood added.
“He is 82 in January. He has been a public figure all his life and I think he is just enjoying a quieter life.
“He is still Molly, still interested in music and still has it turned up to 11. He is still naughty, he has still got that spark that we love, but I think he is enjoying life being a normal person.”
Despite his absence, Meldrum issued a heartfelt statement, reminiscing about his days on Countdown.
“I am left with such fond memories of those days and a show that will never be forgotten,” Meldrum said.
“We made a difference to the music industry in Australia and so I am thrilled to see commemorative coin being made.
“Do yourself a favour and get one. Iconic Countdown lives on.”
The latest update on Meldrum comes after a series of bizarre public incidents that sparked concern among his fans.
In January 2023, Meldrum made headlines after being brought on stage during Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road show, where he exposed his bare buttocks to the crowd.
Following the incident, Meldrum later admitted that he “got carried away” once he took to the stage and that his “belt buckle broke”, his “pants were falling down” and “one thing led to another”.
Later in the year footage was shared by The Daily Mail of Meldrum allegedly exposing his genitalia and urinating on the floor while attending a Rod Stewart concert.
Meldrum is well known for his long-standing career as a music critic, journalist, and record producer. He is best known for his work as an on-air interviewer and music news presenter for the former popular music program Countdown.
He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1986 for “service to the fostering of international relief and to youth” and in 2014 was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, making him the first non-artist to receive the honour.