Uncovered interviews and tapes of John Farnham to air on Channel 7

Footage of singing legend John Farnham which was hidden from public view for decades has been uncovered for the first time ever.

Footage of John Farnham hidden from public view for decades has been unearthed and will air in a TV special this weekend.

In May, the documentary John Farnham: Finding The Voice was released which was the first authorised biopic of the Aussie legend, featuring Olivia Newton John, Jimmy Barnes, Celine Dion and Farnham’s wife and children, and more.

The must-watch film celebrates Australia’s greatest singer and his journey from the suburbs of Melbourne to 1960s pop fame, through life’s highs and lows, ultimately to record-breaking success as “Australia’s Voice”.

Speaking on Sunrise, Channel 7 presenter Michael Usher said after the documentary aired they began digging into the archives which led to their surprise find.

On Sunday, 7 News Spotlight program will air the unearthed footage with some of Australia’s biggest stars including Kate Ritchie, Shannon Noll and Natalie Bassingthwaighte.

The lost tapes of John Farnham, hidden from public view until now. Australia's biggest stars share their personal stories about 'Whispering Jack'. 7NEWS Spotlight, Sunday 8:50pm on @Channel7 and @7plus #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/vCp8DDjm69

— 7NEWS Spotlight (@7NewsSpotlight) August 3, 2023

“We were talking in the office and someone said, ‘You know this whole archive of John Farnham performing a telethon in Perth, no one has seen it’,” Usher said.

“And we got hold of the archivist and they said that no one had looked at the vision for a couple of decades. Then we started digging further, then we started having archivists telling us no one had requested this for ages.

“We started looking through it all, interviews and performances, because he has been so generous. Interestingly, back in the day when radio wasn't exactly picking him up, TV embraced him so there is this wonderful TV archive of all these lost tapes of John Farnham.

Australian singer John Farnham in a scene from the documentary film John Farnham: Finding the Voice.

“There are some magic moments. All the duets he has done over time, and that one with Olivia, that’s one of his better ones we are remembering.”

Farnham, 74, received an outpouring of love from around the world after marathon cancer surgery in 2022 and a health battle earlier this year.

Among the footage also uncovered is Ritchie’s iconic moment as a child on Home And Away with Farnham.

“I sat down with Kate Ritchie and she has this beautiful TV moment. I reckon it’s a real gold TV moment in Australian history,” Usher said.

Farnham, 74, received an outpouring of love from around the world after marathon cancer surgery in 2022 and a health battle earlier this year.

“The storyline goes that young Sally is in bed with chickenpox and misses out on John Farnham coming to town so Farnham comes to her bedside in her bedroom on the set of Home And Away.

“She remembers it was such affection. Ritchie was only nine, the age of her daughter now so she has a really interesting perspective and John Farnham sings ‘Help Me If You Can’. They shot it all in one day.”

The Lost Tapes of John Farnham will air on Channel 7 and 7plus on Sunday at 8:50pm

Originally published as Uncovered interviews and tapes of John Farnham to air on Channel 7