John Blackman says John Farnham faces a difficult recovery after jaw removal mouth cancer surgery

John Blackman has shared insight into John Farnham’s cancer battle as the singer recovers from his extensive mouth cancer surgery.

The iconic Australian entertainer, 73, 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.

Blackman, 74, who lost his own jaw during the same procedure four years ago, told 7News on Thursday that Farnham’s recovery won’t be easy.

‘Hopefully John will get through this with as little angst as possible, and he’s going to need all the support he can get,’ said the Hey Hey It’s Saturday star.

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

Blackman also said he cried after learning about his old friend’s diagnosis.

Blackman lost his jaw to an aggressive form of skin cancer, known as basal-cell carcinoma, in August 2018.

Surgeons replaced his jaw with a piece of his thigh bone during a 10-hour operation. 

Following the procedure, the comedian spent five weeks recovering in hospital before spending another six weeks in rehabilitation.

Blackman, who fought cancer for a second time back in June, also offered some words of encouragement during an interview on The Morning Show on Thursday. 

‘[He] might look like me perhaps – God forbid – but at the end of the day hopefully his voice isn’t affected. The gorgeous voice he had or has,’ he said.

‘But Jill and John and the rest of the Farnhams have got a fairly long, hard road to home, so be nice to him, okay.’ 

Farnham will likely have a tube inserted into his windpipe as he recovers from the surgery in an intensive care unit.

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 performer 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.

There are also fears Farnham may never sing 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 

‘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.

On Wednesday, Entertainment reporter Peter Ford said he had doubts Farnham will ever take to the stage again.

He cited the death of Farnham’s friend and manager Glenn Wheatley earlier in the year as another factor that could keep Farnham from performing.

‘Certainly now you have to say there’s even a lesser chance (of him performing),’ he told 6PR on Wednesday.

Farnham had only discovered he had the cancerous growth in his mouth after his wife Jill insisted on taking him to the doctor for a check up.

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.

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.’ 

Farnham was long-time friends with Olivia Newton-John, who died after a long battle with breast cancer earlier in August.

Her last known performance was alongside Farnham at a bushfire relief charity concert in February 2020. 

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. 

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.