Patti Newton has shared an emotional tribute to her late husband Bert Newton on the two year anniversary of his passing.
“This day two years ago we said goodbye to this wonderful man, the love of my life. We miss you every moment of everyday. Sleep well we love you,” wrote Newton, sharing a photo with Bert alongside his grandchildren and young relatives.
Bert Newton passed away two years ago now at the age of 83 after complications due to his ill health. He had previously required a quadruple bypass in 2012 and was hospitalised due to bouts of pneumonia in 2017 and. A toe infection in 2020 eventually resulted in his passing in late 2021.
Patti and Bert Newton married in 1974 and were together for almost 47 years before Bert’s death. They met when they were both children on the set of a radio talent show. They kept in contact and later both ended up working for Channel 7.
Patti was 21 when they began dating in 1968 but she moved to the UK a few years later to further her career. After a year and a half apart, Patti was working as a singer on the Queen Elizabeth II cruise liner one day when Bert suddenly came aboard and surprised her by asking her to marry him.
The couple had two children, Matt and Lauren, and later welcomed six grandchildren. As one of the most recognisable couples in show business, the couple appeared frequently together throughout their careers. They hosted one of Australia’s first game shows, the Ford Superquiz. They also appeared on the Don Lane Show, Bert’s Family Family Feud and even Big Brother with one another.
When asked by Dave Hughes earlier this year in May about whether she would consider dating again after Bert’s passing, Patti was insistent that Bert was the man for her.
“Never. When you have the best, why would you want second best? He was it for me. I fell in love at a very young age and I’ve never looked at anyone else. I’ve never even kissed anyone else,” she said.
When speaking about their relationship, she said that it was a classic case of opposites attract.
“We laughed a lot and talked a lot. We were very different people, but I think sometimes that works – it’s good if you’re different.
“We were extremely happy. I hate people who say, ‘We never had a cross word’. We had many cross words. In fact, we had world wars, but we always got over them,” said Patti.