H
e’sa televisionicon
who commanded the
attention of millions
of viewers during his
time on Wheel Of Fortune.
Now, 23 years on, John Burgess
has given a rare insight into
a painful battle he’s been facing
largely in secret.
“It’s getting tough now,” the
76-year-old recently told Studio
10 in an emotional interview.
Until now, Australia’s longest-
serving game show host – fondly
known to his fans as Burgo or
Baby John – has remained
tight-lipped about his beloved
wife Jan’s fight for life.
It was 2014 when Jan, also
known as Gianna, was first
diagnosed with breast cancer.
Three years later, she was told
she had cancer of the liver – and
it was so aggressive she had justmonthstolive.“[Theysaid]
‘if you don’t do anything about
it, you won’t see your birthday
in March,’” John reveals. “That
was the 9th December 2017.
It shook me up a bit I’ve got to
tell you. It was pretty awful.”
Reeling from the news,
John took to Facebook,
imploring his fans to support
his wife of 30 years. “I don’t
talk often about personal
things but I need a favour,”
he wrote. “Could you please
send her some love and light?
Itwouldmeana lot.”‘I still look
at her and
MY HEART
SKIPS A BEAT’
Game show legend ‘Baby John’ Burgess opens
up about his love for his wife, as she continues
to fight a five-year battle with cancer
Celebrity
news
‘Our love really
hasn’t changed.
I really did hit
the jackpot’The couple
have been
married for
30 years.John and Jan
renewed their
wedding vows
in 2011.