New Idea

MY AMAZING SURPRISE 50TH!

THE FAN-FAVOURITE CELEBRATED HIS MILESTONE BIRTHDAY IN UNFORGETTA­BLE STYLE

- By Jackie Brygel Photos: Hari Alappat from Love is Love Photograph­y

Hilarious Gogglebox star Tom is the first to acknowledg­e he’s never at a loss for words. So it came as quite a shock to him to be rendered utterly speechless when he walked into his surprise 50th birthday bash – orchestrat­ed, of course, by the man he loves, Wayne.

‘I had absolutely no idea,’ says Tom. ‘Wayne said we had to go off to see some friends and then this limousine turned up. I actually had a bit of a performanc­e in front of the car and said: “I don’t really want to go anywhere.” He was like: “No, no, we’ll just be out for a couple of hours.” The car took us to this friend’s beautiful converted warehouse here in Melbourne, and everyone was there and yelled “surprise”. There were 30 people, including some of our Gogglebox cast mates, and I love all of them.’

For Wayne, 48, the look on Tom’s face was ‘just priceless’.

‘I can talk under water, but I just stood there in shock. But once they got a cocktail in my hand, I was fine!’ says Tom.

Unfortunat­ely, the couple’s oldest daughter, 28-year-old Jade, was unable to attend.

‘It was a comedy of errors,’ says Wayne. ‘Jade and her partner live interstate. Their flight to Melbourne got cancelled and they couldn’t get on another flight, so they jumped in the car and drove eight hours. They got to Melbourne at 1am, only for Jade to wake up the next morning feeling terribly ill. We think she got food poisoning on the way down.’

First laying eyes on each other 18 years ago at a country dance, Wayne and Tom have been a devoted couple ever since.

‘It’s the most cliched gay romance ever,’ says Wayne with a laugh. ‘We met on the dance floor while Kylie Minogue’s Love At First Sight was playing and we’re still madly in love.’

It was only fitting, too, that a very special guest made an appearance at Tom’s party.

‘I always said I wanted a Minogue at my 50th – I didn’t care which one, it could be Kylie, Dannii or even Carol the mother,’ he declares.

‘So,’ explains Wayne, ‘all of a sudden at the party, the lift door opened and Millie Minogue,

who is a famous drag queen, walked out.’

Tom adds: ‘It was a dream come true! I got to be pseudoKyli­e’s back-up dancer while we sang Love At First Sight.’

Having raised three children – daughters Jade and 25-year-old Tegan, and a son Zac, 27 – Tom and Wayne are proud as punch of their beautiful kids.

‘Now that the kids have grown up, it’s our time to be with each other,’ says Wayne.

 ??  ?? The happy couple were all smiles as the family got together to celebrate. Tom was over the moon when a Minogue arrived at the party. Wayne and Tom’s children Tegan and Zac partied on, but Jade was too ill to attend.
The happy couple were all smiles as the family got together to celebrate. Tom was over the moon when a Minogue arrived at the party. Wayne and Tom’s children Tegan and Zac partied on, but Jade was too ill to attend.
 ??  ?? The lads were joined by some of their fellow Gogglebox stars for the 50th birthday celebratio­n.
The lads were joined by some of their fellow Gogglebox stars for the 50th birthday celebratio­n.

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