Bert Newton
Fears for his health
Despite recent reports their marriage is at breaking point, insiders say Patti Newton is incredibly concerned about her husband of 43 years as he battles health issues.
Bert suffered a major scare in 2012 when he had quadruple bypass heart surgery, so his loved ones feared the worst when he was rushed to a Melbourne hospital last week, this time suffering from pneumonia.
A family friend tells Woman’s Day the TV veteran had his heartbroken wife Patti, 72, and the couple’s two adult children Lauren, 37, and Matthew saying their last goodbyes ahead of his heart operation five years ago.
Now, amid this latest crisis for the 78-year-old star – which saw him struggling to breathe on the way to hospital – they have been left “rattled” and in a “big panic”.
“All family and close friends are extremely worried,” the insider explains. “Bert has had pneumonia once before and has been ill on a number of unreported occasions. Patti is very anxious about his health – she hasn’t slept in days.”
Wanting his privacy, and to be surrounded by his nearest and dearest – especially his four beloved grandchildren Sam, nine, Eva, seven, Lola, four and one-year-old Monty – Bert is now recovering at home.
“He is being tended to by Patti,” our source says. “She’s determined to do everything in her power to nurse him back to full strength. She is tough.”
Meanwhile, their troubled son Matthew, 40, who is based in the US, has made the difficult decision to remain overseas for the time being, for fear of drawing attention to his family and hindering Bert’s recovery should he return home.
“The lines are open on that one and he has been in contact often,” the friend reveals. “He told Patti he doesn’t want his problems to blow up in their faces again. She thought it was very sensitive of him.
“He is also telling Bert to concentrate on his health – he knows he is in good hands with Patti and Lauren tending to him.”
‘All family and close friends are extremely worried’