John Farnham: Iconic singer in intensive care with tube down his throat in mouth cancer battle

Singer John Farnham will likely have a tube inserted into his windpipe as he recovers in an intensive care unit from his extensive mouth cancer surgery.

The iconic Australian entertainer underwent an 11-and-a-half hour surgery to remove a tumour from his mouth after his family revealed he had been diagnosed with the cancer on Tuesday.

The surgery started at 8am on Tuesday and was successfully completed about 7.30pm that night, with the singer having to have part of his jaw removed.

The 73-year-old is stable in the ICU after the operation, carried out by an army of 26 medical staff. 

Farnham now faces an extensive period of recovery, including learning to eat and drink again.

Sydney radio producers have been told a tube will be put down the ‘You’re the Voice’ singer’s throat, with many speculating the star will need to avoid talking, eating and singing for at least a few months 

The singer (pictured) is most well-known for his hit single You’re the Voice, which was released in September 1986

‘Doctors may have to insert a tube into his windpipe as part of his recovery, he’ll need a feeding tube and he’ll need rehab to help him chew and swallow again, he’ll spend weeks in hospital recovering,’ 2GB’s Ben Fordham said on his morning show.

A statement from Farnham’s family on Tuesday morning revealed the singer had been admitted to hospital.

‘John has been through an 11-and-a-half-hour surgery in Melbourne yesterday and is now in a stable condition in ICU,’ his wife Jill said. 

‘The cancer tumour was located in his mouth and it has been successfully removed.

‘There is still a long road of recovery and healing ahead of us, but we know John is up to that task.’

The family thanked hospital staff for their efforts and the public for their well wishes.

Farnham’s family confirmed he was in a stable condition in the ICU after the massive surgery on Tuesday

Concert-going Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews both joined the outpouring of public support for Farnham.

Farnham’s long-time friend, radio presenter, and fellow mouth cancer survivor John Blackman told TV news he believed the singer would be able to pull through the diagnosis.

‘Hopefully John will get through this with as little angst as possible, and he’s going to need all the support he can get,’ Mr Blackman told 7News.

‘I know his family is very loving and they’re all going to gather around him.’ 

Mouth cancer is used to describe a number of cancers that start in any part of the mouth including the cheeks and tongue.

The Cancer Council Australia say the early signs of mouth cancer can be detected by dentists but a survey released last month revealed many Australians had skipped visit to oral professionals during the pandemic.

Mouth cancer is relatively uncommon but can be brought on by tobacco and alcohol consumption.

The Cancer Council says around 59 per cent of mouth cancers in Australia are caused by tobacco smoking with a further 31 per cent induced by excessive alcohol consumption.

Farnham is a British-born Australian who was born in Essex, England in 1949.

He went on to become a  teen pop idol in 1967 before he went on to forge a solo career with his single ‘You’re The Voice’ peaking at No.1 on the Australian charts. 

Dame Olivia Newton-John (pictured) was last seen on stage in 2020 when she performed with Farnham in the middle of her breast cancer battle

Farnham will be surrounded by his family (pictured) as he recovers from the surgery

The album it appeared on, ‘Whispering Jack’ held the No.1 album position for 25 weeks. 

He was named Australian of the Year in 1987 and in 1996 was made an Officer of the Order of Australia.

Farnham married his dancer wife Jill after meeting while performing in 1973.

Their sons Robert and James live in Victoria.