John Lydon goes on three-month bender after caring for dying wife for six years

24 August 2023 , 17:35

967     0

John Lydon (Image: PA)

John Lydon has told how his life descended into a booze-fuelled hell after the death of wife Nora.

The Sex Pistols legend has now quit drinking since the three-month bender. John, 67, hit the bottle after German publishing heiress Nora died in April from Alzheimer’s. The couple had been together for 44 years. The Public Image Ltd singer took six years out to care for his wife and even though he knew the end would one day come for her he still did not cope with her death and turned to drink for solace.

John said: “I’m getting fit. There was a period there of three months solid of just non-stop drinking. It wasn’t helping push the sadness away and I stopped. That was hell. If Nora is around and looking at me the last thing she wants to see is me crying into a bottle of whisky.

Lydon with wife Nora, who passed away earlier this year (Getty Images North America)

Lydon and Nora in 1986 (Redferns)

"I have been giving the gift of life and I’m certainly not going to take my own life. I’m mostly alone. At weekends my brother, his wife and kids and noisy a**e dogs come over. I have to get mentally fit because my family wasn’t just Nora, it’s also the ­audience that come to see PiL.”

John is preparing for a tour with his band after the release of new album End of World. He told XS Noize Podcast: “My baby will be with me, that’s all I need to know.” Speaking of caring for Nora, he added: “I loved looking after her and making her days better. It was the most fun we ever had and it kept her alert.”

England star Joe Marler reflects on lowest point after fight with pregnant wife

Mark Jefferies