Olivia's secret
Olivia Newton-John couldn’t be happier. She’s just celebrated her 50th birthday and is set to arrive in Australia in a few weeks’ time to kick off The Main Event, which will see three of Australia’s great performers Anthony Warlow, John Farnham and Olivia herself-in concert together.
But the biggest reason for her current joy is that she’s in love! The secret is out and there is no hiding her newfound happiness.
The man who has swept Olivia off her feet they first met almost two years ago is now a major part of her life.
As New Idea’s photos show, the hunky younger man who has won her heart is 42-year-old US cameraman Patrick McDermott “I’m a very lucky guy”, says Patrick, who first met Olivia at one of her concerts. Patrick has been seeing the multi-Grammy award-winning superstar in secret ever since.
Our pictures show a relaxed Olivia and Patrick loading luggage into her car as they leave Patrick’s home for a combined holiday and business trip to Kansas.
“Olivia was beaming when she pulled up at Patrick’s house”, a neighbour says. “The two of then loaded at least five pieces of luggage into the car and then Patrick hopped in behind the wheel while Olivia slipped into the passenger seat. They embraced passionately, kissing and hugging for several minutes before they drove off”.
Friends say Australia’s favourite girl-next-door, whose hits include You’re The One That I Want, fell for Patrick instantly. The couple are now inseparable.
When Olivia and Patrick were first seeing each other, there were rumours she was having a hot romance with country singing sensation Vince Gill.
“We sang a duet together, nothing more,” Olivia said dismissively at the time. “My private life is not something I like to discuss. Before I was married I was linked with everybody. Now I’m divorced, it’ll probably start up again.”
Olivia’s life over the past six years has been plagued by tragedy and heartache. There was the collapse of her Koala Blue chain of boutiques, her father’s death from cancer, the discovery that Olivia had breast cancer and then the break-up of her 10-year marriage to Matt Lattanzi.
But Olivia has seen it through. “I’m in a really positive spot now: I used to be afraid to get old. Now, I’m grateful,” she says Sources close to Olivia say she and Patrick are even talking about a trial marriage.
Olivia has put her beautiful Malibu mansion up for sale and friends say she and Patrick are shopping for a new place.
Despite her reluctance to talk about her marriage break-up for the sake of her daughter Chloe, Olivia says the pain of the divorce has not put her off marriage. When she released her latest album Back With A Heart, after a four-year-break, she co-wrote a song called Precious Love, about a woman learning to trust again after years of heartache.
She says “I think what I began to realise was the value of simplicity and nature and the value of relationships over money and possessions. Ultimately, they are what make you happy.”
By Simon Dickson</a>