Details of the Aussie sweetheart’s State Memorial are emerging, with Eddie McGuire in box seat to MC

Eddie McGuire is tipped to lead the State Memorial for his friend Olivia Newton-John, after his success in producing Shane Warne’s touching event. Here’s how it may play out.

After creating a stirring and stunning farewell to Shane Warne at the MCG in March, Eddie McGuire’s JAMTV production company looks set to get the nod to helm the State Memorial to honour Australia’s sweetheart Olivia Newton-John.

It is understood preliminary discussions will be held this week to start formulating the public tribute to Newton-John – most likely a tribute concert – who died at her home in the US on Tuesday, aged 73.

It is likely the State Government and Newton-John’s family will turn to JAMTV and Mushroom to create a fitting celebration to the Grease star; one that encompasses her worldwide success in music and film and gives weight to her significant and important contributions to cancer research and charities.

The two companies worked together to produce Warne’s beautiful State Memorial at the MCG in March.

No companies have been officially appointed to work on the memorial at this stage.

Olivia Newton-John died on Tuesday.

Eddie McGuire’s company produced the Shane Warne memorial.

McGuire was friends with Newton-John with the pair working together on numerous occasions at events and fundraisers.

Whatever shape the State Memorial takes will be in accordance with the wishes of her husband and daughter in the US and family in Australia and no doubt will include a roll call of celebrities from here and overseas celebrating a magnificent life. The date and location of the memorial are still to be determined.

Meanwhile fans wanting to remember Newton-John have pushed her greatest hits album back into the top five of the upper echelons of the ARIA Albums chart.

A desire to hear her classic songs has seen her album, Hopelessly Devoted: The Hits, jump to number 5 on the Albums Chart, while the soundtrack of the iconic film Grease, in which she starred alongside John Travolta, landed at number 8.

Newton-John was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2002 and sold more than 100 million records during her extraordinary career.

Originally published as Details of the Aussie sweetheart’s State Memorial are emerging, with Eddie McGuire in box seat to MC