John Farnham doco smashes TV ratings as son gives major health update

Aussie viewers just can’t get enough of the incredible story of music legend John Farnham, TV ratings figures have shown.

It has already set box office records for a homegrown documentary.

And Australia just can’t get enough of the story of the rise and fall and rise of music legend John Farnham, with the television broadcast of the Finding The Voice film the most watched entertainment program on Monday.

The film, which became the highest Australian grossing feature length documentary of all-time since opening at cinemas in mid-May, had 1.3 million viewers nationally for the Seven broadcast.

Aussie viewers have rushed to watch the John Farnham: Finding The Voice documentary. Picture: Ian Laidlaw

Finding The Voice charts Farnham’s reign as Australia’s King of Pop through the late 1960s and 70s, his career doldrums on the cabaret club circuit and fractious tenure as frontman of Little River Band before he and his brother-in-arms Glenn Wheatley risked everything to make his comeback album Whispering Jack.

Farnham’s son Rob revealed his dad had yet to watch the doco which is unsurprising as it features two beloved figures central to his life in music, Olivia Newton-John and Glenn Wheatley, who both died last year.

John Farnham performs with his dear friend Olivia Newton-John at Fire Fight Australia in 2020. Picture: Getty Images

The phenomenal success of Finding The Voice is likely to whet appetites for the upcoming film Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story which premieres at the Melbourne International Film Festival next month before a cinema run in late August.

The doco traces music legend John Farnham’s career from the 1960s onwards.

The star made a phenonemal comeback with the Whispering Jack album.

Ahead of the TV broadcast, Farnham’s son gave a major update on the Aussie music legend’s health, saying the much-loved star is singing and dancing again.

Speaking on Seven’s Sunrise, Robert Farnham said his father was going from strength to strength following major surgery last August.

John Farnham is recovering after his health battle and is now cancer free, his son says.

The 74-year-old singer underwent a 12-hour operation after being diagnosed with throat cancer, with surgeons removing a tumour in his mouth and reconstructing his jaw.

Actor and musician Robert appeared on the morning show on Monday alongside longtime family friend Gaynor Wheatley to discuss the premiere of the award-winning doco, John Farnham: Finding The Voice.

He said his father was “cancer free” and doing well.

John Farnham’s sons, James and Robert. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“He’s doing fantastic,” he told Sunrise hosts Nat Barr and Matt Shirvington.

“Just the other day he was, you know, walking around with his cane and did a little bit of a dance, which was pretty fabulous. He’s walking with his dog a lot — so he’s really, really happy.”

The beloved star had even started singing again, Robert said.

“He’s doing really good, he’s super positive,” he told Sunrise.

A scene from the John Farnham doco.

“Like we’ve said before, cancer is a terrible, terrible thing. And it’s his time to walk that road, but he’s cancer free.

“And, yeah, he’s doing really, really good. So, it’s very, very good to hear him.

“He sings at home again, the whole thing.”

Robert said his father had not yet seen the documentary, which airs on Seven and 7Plus on Monday.

“No, he still hasn’t seen it,” he said.

“He’s not one to watch himself, you know, on, on TV, or even read reviews.

“He’s just, he’s just not like that — but we’ll make him watch it.”

John Farnham had a “beautiful” bond with manager Glenn Wheatley.

Ms Wheatley said the doco showed her late husband Glenn’s “beautiful” bond with Farnham, who he managed for decades.

“I’ve often said that was the love story, the Wheatley-Farnham love story,” she said

“And it’s beautiful — it’s about mateship and how you stick with your friends through thick and thin and they both did for each other. It’s extraordinary and it’s beautiful to watch.”

Robert said the documentary showed his father’s dedication to his craft.

“And the belief in himself and the support of the people around him,” he said.

“Like, my mum was a big supporter as you’ll see in the movie, obviously Glenn and the Wheatley family.

“So it’s a really supportive story and inspirational to other musicians — I’m a musician myself and it’s an inspirational story.

“It makes you, you know, really wanna do something and watching someone with such talent and dedication go through it.”

John Farnham: Finding The Voice will air at 7.30pm on Monday, 24 July on Seven and 7plus.

Originally published as John Farnham doco smashes TV ratings as son gives major health update