LAUREN NEWTON ‘DAD PLAYE CUPID FOR M
BERT WAS THE MASTERMIND BEHIND HIS DAUGHTER’S BEAUTIFUL 16-YEAR MARRIAGE
Every time little Monty Welsh sees a yellow butterfly, he tells his brothers and sisters, “Look, there’s Poppy! Hi, Poppy!” Adored grandfather Bert Newton is still very much around as far as his family is concerned – as Monty, 6, has spotted yellow butterflies everywhere since the TV icon’s passing last year.
“The kids are very sad, of course,” reflects Bert’s grieving daughter, Lauren. “It was a difficult time for them, going through that big loss.”
It’s been an emotional few months for the mum of six and her husband, former Olympic swim champion Matt Welsh, as they begin marking family milestones without beloved ‘Moonface’.
Eldest son Sam recently celebrated his 14th birthday, daughter Eva, 12, started high school, Monty commenced prep and 3-year-old Perla started preschool.
“All those events are just that little bit harder now,” explains Lauren,
42, also proud mum to Lola, 9, and Alby, 1.
“Dad would have been dying to see Eva’s new uniform, to hear about her day, and that makes it all the more emotional. Lola felt really sad that Poppy was never going to see her start Year 4, but we keep reminding her that he’s watching. Dad is remembered constantly.
“We talk randomly about him, about funny things he did, all the time and I think that’s really nice. Although Alby is only 1, he will grow up knowing all the stories. He’s the spitting image of Dad and even sleeps the same way, with his hands above his head.”
Cherished by his family and fans alike, Albert Watson ‘Bert’ Newton AM MBE passed away on October
30, aged 83. Sadly, the multiple TV Week Gold Logie winner spent most of 2021 in hospital through Melbourne’s lengthy lockdown, only allowed to see limited visitors.
“But I have no regrets,” says Lauren, who has been a rock for her heartbroken mother Patti, 77. “Sam visited by himself about a week before Dad died and stayed for a couple of hours. He probably told him things he didn’t tell anyone else! As we all know, Dad was pretty good at talking to people.
“He had a very special bond with all the kids for different reasons. Lola is the entertainer, so Dad would applaud the concerts and shows she wrote and performed for him. He used to watch TV with Monty and