John Farnham’s newly married son Rob shares first photos after cancer

John Farnham looked every inch the proud father at an intimate family occasion this weekend, after undergoing extensive surgery due to oral cancer. 

The Australian rock legend, who is now cancer free, looked in great spirits as he attended the wedding of his oldest son, Robert Farnham, and new wife Melissa.

In the intimate photos, the 74-year-old appeared in good health and largely unchanged after his gruelling surgery back in August 2022.

A smiling John posed alongside groom Rob in images shared to Instagram on Sunday from the luxurious nuptials. 

John looked smart in a black suit paired with a bronze tie which matched his pocket square, while his son opted for a white tux with black accents.  

Further images showed the Farnham family gathered together for the happy occasion, including John’s wife Jill. 

The family were inundated with warm comments from fans, with one writing beneath the images: ‘Such a beautiful father and son pic’.

Another wrote: ‘Congratulations to you both. It’s so nice to see your Dad, he looks fantastic! Love to you all’. 

One more chimed in: ‘Congratulations all the best. Was nice to see your Dad and family’. 

‘Love this photo and John my forever superstar. I am so happy for you and you look amazing,’ wrote another. 

‘Congratulations to you both and wish you both every happiness for the future. And it’s fantastic seeing your dad and the rest of your beautiful family,’ one more wrote. 

The bride stunned in an off-the-shoulder ivory wedding gown as she posed for a series of romantic photos with her new husband on the lush grounds. 

‘Shared the happiest moment with my favourite person in the universe and she said I do. Melissa, my life is forever better that you’re a part of it,’ Rob wrote in his caption. 

‘You looked radiant, beautiful and elegant. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us and I’m truly honoured to have you by my side as my wife for life’. 

The couple had earlier announced their engagement in November 2022. 

‘My best friend and love of my life said yes to marrying me,’ Robert gushed in the caption at the time. 

‘I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.’

John was last seen celebrating Christmas with his family, however his entire face was not clearly visible in the image. 

While recovering from oral cancer surgery, he cuddled up to his wife Jill as he sat down to a family meal in a photo shared to Instagram. 

He was surrounded by his sons Rob and James, 36, as well as relatives, who wore holiday themed bibs and Santa hats. 

In August 2023, Farnham revealed he’s cancer-free, 12 months after having mouth surgery in 2022. 

In his first personal statement since the procedure, the music superstar said he was finally in the comfort of his own home surrounded by his loving family and felt like ‘the luckiest man I know’.

‘It’s been a year since my first surgery and to be honest I’ve lost count as to how many other procedures there’s been since then,’ he said.

‘I’m sure someone’s kept track of them all – let’s just say, there’s been a few.’ 

‘But, I’m home now and I’m a very grateful and happy man. I’m sitting here in my living room lapping up the attention from my beautiful wife, Jill, my boys Rob and James and my mini Schnauzer, Edmund.’

Farnham’s family had previously given updates on behalf of the Australian music legend, following the August 2022 procedure. 

Speaking on Sunrise, John’s son Robert said his father was ‘doing fantastic’ after a 12-hour surgery for throat cancer.

‘Just the other day, he was walking around with his with his cane and did a little bit of a dance, which was pretty fabulous,’ Robert said.

‘He’s walking with his dog a lot, so he’s really, really happy. He’s doing really good, he’s super positive,’ he told Sunrise.

The That’s Freedom hitmaker was additionally hospitalised after he developed a chest infection following surgery to remove a cancerous tumour in his mouth. 

Farnham is ‘unlikely’ to ever perform again after undergoing a marathon surgery to remove the tumour from his mouth.

The operation, carried out by 26 medical staff, also saw a major part of his jaw removed.

Entertainment reporter Peter Ford said there were doubts Farnham would take to the stage again after the recent death of his dear friend and manager Glenn Wheatley, but added it was even more unlikely now.

‘Certainly now you have to say there’s even a lesser chance (of him performing),’ he told 6PR.

Farnham had only discovered he had the cancerous growth in his mouth after his wife Jill insisted on taking him to the doctor for a check up when he developed a persistent mouth ulcer.

‘The cancer tumour was located in his mouth and it has been successfully removed,’ Mrs Farnham said at the time.

‘There is still a long road of recovery and healing ahead of us, but we know John is up for that task.’

Ford said the first part of his surgery was the removal of his tumour.

‘And then after that was done, almost immediately the reconstructive team moved in because John did have to have, I’m told, a major part of his jaw removed,’ he said

Ford earlier reported the singer had emerged from surgery, after ‘cracking jokes’ with hospital staff prior to the delicate procedure.

He said the lengthy surgery, which lasted from 8am to 7.30pm, pointed to the ‘severity of the situation’ but said Farnham had been in high spirits.

‘John’s surgery began at 8.00am this morning and was successfully completed at 7.30pm tonight. He has now been transferred to ICU and is in a stable condition,’ his family said in a statement at the time.

Farnham earlier opened up about his smoking habit, which he says began when he was a ‘stupid’ 14-year-old.

He quit ‘cold turkey’ in 1992 after starring in Jesus Christ Superstar, but picked up the habit again with cigars in 2004.

He officially quit smoking for good just before his 70th birthday

‘Stupid habit. It was a little easier to quit from cigars, but I’m better off not smoking, I’m a bloody singer for God’s sake,’ he told the Herald Sun in 2019.

‘I’m using my lungs. I’ve already noticed the change. I’ve increased my range, I’ve got a bit more to give, I’ve taken a blockage out.’

Mr Ford said Farnham was given a ‘wake up call’ by one of his sons who told the singer ‘please stop smoking dad, I don’t want you to die’.

That led to him cutting out cigarettes for good.

‘He was always puffing away, I don’t think he was ever proud of it,’ Ford said.

In April, John reveled he is releasing his own candid memoir titled The Voice Inside, over a year after his surgery for mouth cancer.

Co-written with Poppy Stockwell, the Australian music legend is set to tell his story in his own words and with his signature humour.

The book documents Farnham’s early life and stardom growing up in Melbourne in the 1960s, to his comeback 1986 album Whispering Jack.

It will recall the highs and lows of fame – when his stellar career stalled, record companies turned their backs and he faced financial ruin.

Farnham will also detail his shock mouth cancer diagnosis in 2022, just months after the death of his friend and manager Glenn Wheatley.

The memoir, published by Hachette Australia, is set to be released in November 2024. 

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‘Having been asked many times, it finally felt like the right time to sit down and tell my story,’ Farnham said in a statement.

‘It is a very strange feeling looking back on my life, on the good and the bad, and now that I have started, it is all rushing back.

‘I hope the book engages and entertains, because that’s what so much of my life has been about.’

Stockwell added: ‘Working with John on his memoir has been like sitting down with an old friend, who also happens to be an absolute legend, to share stories that are both deeply personal and wildly entertaining.

‘His resilience and sense of humour shine through every recollection, making this project a genuine reflection of the man behind the music. It’s been a joy to help bring his tales to life, and I can’t wait for readers to get an unfettered glimpse of the man whose music is the soundtrack to so many of our lives.’