SEX Pistol John Lydon fought back tears on today’s Good Morning Britain as he opened up about his beloved wife Nora’s Alzheimer’s battle.
German heiress Nora, 80, was diagnosed with the debilitating condition four years ago and John is her primary carer.
John Lydon grew emotional talking about his wife’s Alzheimer’s battle on GMB
Johnny and Nora have been together for 45 years
The punk icon’s current band – Public Image Ltd (PiL) – is in the running to represent the Republic of Ireland at Eurovision, and John is hoping to use the platform to raise awareness of the condition.
Appearing on GMB today to discuss the band’s contest bid and its track Hawaii, John, who is based in Los Angeles, got emotional over the thought of temporary leaving his wife’s side to perform in Liverpool.
He said: “It brings tears to my eyes even thinking about performing it live because I’ll be aware from her, but I’ve got to do that.”
He continued: “We’ve been together some 45 years, we’re relentless. This is the beginning of a new journey with us. As bad as her Alzheimer’s is there are great moments of tenderness between us, and I try and capture that in the song. I’ts not all waiting for the Grim Reaper. I can see her personality in her eyes. She lets me know it’s the communication skills that are letting her down, I’m just blessed I can be there and catch on to that.”
In a recent exclusive interview with the Sun, the 66-year-old singer struggled to hold back tears, telling Grant Rollings that Hawaii — with the refrain “remember me, I remember you” — is about his love for Nora.
John explained: “We spent a magnificent holiday in Hawaii after a tour once and it was just the greatest week of our lives.
“Now her memories are fading, I wanted to bring something like that back to her. I get broke up even thinking about it.”
Based in California for the past four decades, John did not even know Hawaii had been put forward as a potential entry for Ireland in this year’s competition.
It is now one of six songs competing for a place in the final in Liverpool in May.
Post-punk band Public Image Ltd, with hits including This Is Not A Love Song, will go up against the likes of Irish heart-throbs Wild Youth.
Londoner John’s mum Eileen and dad John Snr both come from Ireland and he said: “I was half raised there, every summer on my mother’s farm.”
On February 3, the rival songs will battle it out on The Late Late Show on state broadcaster RTE.
And John is so desperate to impress the judges, he has been practising while doing the Hoovering.
Hawaii is a hopeful and heartfelt song dealing with a subject not normally touched upon at Eurovision.
Displaying his soft side, John said falteringly: “It is a song about the dissipation of a human being that I dearly love, in front of my very eyes.”
He added that playing his music around their Venice Beach home helps her to remember him.
He told how Nora says “Johnny” when the song comes on and how she knew it was him under the Jester outfit when he recently appeared on the US version of The Masked Singer.
Poking fun at himself, John says: “She was quick to point me out and it wasn’t just because of the fake pot belly.”
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https://thecelebreport.com/television/stacey-solomon-fears-she-could-be-left-on-the-streets-if-showbiz-career-goes-wrong-despite-million-pound-fortune
