TOM JONES TELLS OF THE GRIEF OF LOSING HIS WIFE ‘I didn’t think I’d make it after my Linda died’

TOM Jones turned to counselling to cope after losing his wife to cancer.

When beloved Linda died last year he was so griefstricken he feared it would kill him.

His worried son Mark Woodward stepped in and convinced Tom he needed professional help, so he agreed to therapy sessions.

In a candid chat, Tom, 76, said: “I did see somebody in LA right at the beginning. Mark said, ‘ There is a lady you can see’.

“She counselled me with a lot of things. She said to me, ‘You’ve got to carry on…if you don’t you’ll die.

“You’ve got to get back to your music. That’s your passion, then you’ve got to get on with it’.”

Tom and Linda had been married for 59 years when she died last April ED GLEAVE after a short battle with lung cancer. The loss was devastating for him and he hit rock bottom.

He added: “When she passed away I didn’t know if I would make it. I really didn’t.

“My son Mark helped me tremendously. He said, ‘You’ve got to get back to singing’. But I didn’t know if I could.

“You don’t want to get out of bed to start with.

“I thought of my family – my son, my daughter and my grandchildren. All of that and my family back in Wales, of course.” Counselling sessions and support from loved ones helped Tom find the courage to return to the spotlight.

Within months the brave star was back on stage and back as a coach on The Voice. He has now vowed to never retire.

Tom said: “Time off would be death for me. The only time I’ll take off is when I die.

“I don’t take long periods of time off. I love to sing. I’m happier when I’m singing than when I’m not.”

Welsh star Tom has had a career spanning six decades with hits including It’s Not Unusual and Delilah.

He has a Grammy, two BRITs and was knighted by The Queen in 2006 for services to music.

It emerged last month that telly bosses want to make a drama about his life.

Tom has now revealed he wants to be an executive producer on the project.

He said: “I’d like to be involved. I’d want some control over it. There’s been talk about it for a long time.

“It doesn’t have to be a singer who plays me. It may be better to get an actor because I can always do the voice if need be.”