Tom Jones’s tearful breakdown in first public appearance

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Sir Tom Jones appeared for the first time since his wife died in April.

Sir Tom was at the Hay Festival in Wales, a literary event where he sat with GQ editor Dylan Jones to discuss his new autobiography, Over The Top and Back.

Sir Tom Jones discusses the death of his wife Linda on stage at @hayfestival: https://t.co/ACicu1Ivhw pic.twitter.com/TG9Sv03EAR

— British GQ (@BritishGQ) June 5, 2016

It was during this discussion, which provided audience members with an insight to his magnificent career, the 75-year-old singer almost broke down in tears when the conversation turned to his wife, Lady Melinda, and her passing.

“It’s very difficult, the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” the singer told his audience when asked how he was recovering.

He reflected on the 59 years of marriage they shared and insisted that they had enjoyed “a solid marriage that nothing could shake.”

Sir Tom had once boasted of his groupie conquests, but despite this the singer says he knew “she’d always been very important to me, always.” Before adding, “Now I realise she might have been the most important thing in my life. I realise even more now how important she was to me.”

Sir Tom will carry out his upcoming European tour, saying Lady Linda had insisted he keep singing.

What is something important in your life? Has there ever been a moment where you’ve thought ‘this is too hard’?