Patti Newton returned to the stage to cope with the loss of Bert
Patti Newton, 78, says she returned to her showbiz career as a way of coping with the loss of late husband Bert: ‘He would have wanted me to do it’
Patti Newton revamped her showbiz career as a way to cope with the loss of her beloved husband Bert, who passed away in October 2021 at the age of 83.
The 78-year-old says she landed a prominent role in Mary Poppins’ touring stage production.
Married to Bert for no less than 47 years, Patti told the Announce sun that doing the hit musical was one of the “best things” she could do for herself as it helped her heal.
“I was told (after Bert’s death) that you go both ways,” she said in an interview with the publication.
“You can sit at home grumbling,” she explained, or be someone who “looks to the future.”
Patti Newton revamped her career as a way to cope with the loss of her beloved husband Bert, who passed away in October 2021 at the age of 83.
The 78-year-old says she landed herself a prominent role in Mary Poppins’ touring stage production
Playing the character of Lady Bird in the famous show, Patti has just finished a season of the Brisbane musical.
She now plans to take the stage next month with the role for a week-long Melbourne season of Mary Poppins, followed by Adelaide and Perth.
Patti also said doing the shows in Brisbane was was “one of the best things I did because it took me out of myself and helped me heal.”
She added, “And I knew Bert would want me to do it, it was a good thing for me.”
Married to Bert for a whopping 47 years, Patti said doing the hit musical was one of the “best things” she could do for herself as it helped her heal
It comes after Patti opened up about her feelings about life without Bert earlier this week.
Describing Bert as “irreplaceable,” said she has no plans to ever date again.
She added that she doesn’t believe in the old adage that “time heals all wounds” and thinks it “gets worse” with grief.
“If you’ve had the best, why would you want the second best,” she said during an interview Hughesy, Ed & Erin from 2DAY FM breakfast show.
“It was him for me, I fell in love at a very young age and I’ve never looked at anyone else or even kissed anyone else. He wasn’t the first kiss, but after I fell in love with him, that was it.”
Patti laid her husband to rest in November 2021.
He was receiving palliative care at a clinic in Melbourne at the time of his death.
Patti laid her husband to rest in November 2021. Pictured: the beloved showbiz couple in 1992
He was hospitalized in March of that year and had surgery on his leg in May. He had to have surgery after his toe was infected before Christmas.
The infection was related to his diabetes and threatened his life, with doctors telling him the surgery was a “life or death decision.”
Doctors told Bert that if he kept his leg, he would only have “months to live” instead of years if he chose to amputate.
Meanwhile, Patti told the Herald Sun she would be spending Mother’s Day with her daughter Lauren and grandchildren: Sam, Eva, Lola, Monty, Perla and Alby.