Olivia Newton-John’s missing lover ‘surfaces’

A Canadian pub owner has revealed how shocked he was when photos of himself emerged in the press, which misidentified him as Olivia Newton-John’s missing lover, Patrick McDermott.

Wes Stobbe made international headlines in November, when he was mistaken for Patrick and the image was splashed across publications. 

New Idea first published the image of Wes and claimed it was Patrick, describing the missing man as being alive and well in Mexico.  

Mistaken identity:  Grainy photos of Olivia Newton-John’s missing ex turn out to be of Canadian pub owner Wes Stobbe (pictured), who has revealed his shock at accidental fame

Awkward! In November, New Idea claimed Olivia Newton-John's missing lover Patrick McDermott (pictured) was alive and well in Mexico, but used photos of Canadian pub owner Wes to illustrate

Awkward! In November, New Idea claimed Olivia Newton-John’s missing lover Patrick McDermott (pictured) was alive and well in Mexico, but used photos of Canadian pub owner Wes to illustrate

The photo showed Wes lounging alongside a woman, who turned out to be his wife Bridget. 

‘Apparently if you make the photo fuzzy enough and grainy enough, it might be passable, but I don’t think I look like him,’ Stobbe told CBC Manitoba’s Radio Noon, according to CBC News.

He and his wife said their family found the mistake rather hilarious. 

Making headlines: The photo showed Wes lounging alongside a woman, who turned out to be his wife Bridget (pictured)... with the couple admitting they found the mistake rather funny

Making headlines: The photo showed Wes lounging alongside a woman, who turned out to be his wife Bridget (pictured)… with the couple admitting they found the mistake rather funny

The magazine: New Idea first published the image of Wes and claimed it was Patrick

The magazine: New Idea first published the image of Wes and claimed it was Patrick

‘I have a face that seems to be recognised falsely more than once. It happens to me so often for some strange reason,’ he said. 

He also added that he’s heading back to Mexico soon and joked: ‘[I might] get myself a T-shirt printed that says, “not Patrick.”

Patrick owed thousands of dollars in backdated child support payments for son Chance at the time of his disappearance.

At the time, top private investigator Charlie Parker supported the theory that it was Patrick in the image that surfaced last year.

Back with Olivia: Patrick owed thousands of dollars in backdated child support payments for son Chance at the time of his disappearance. Patrick was declared dead in 2008

Back with Olivia: Patrick owed thousands of dollars in backdated child support payments for son Chance at the time of his disappearance. Patrick was declared dead in 2008

‘The widow’s peak is exact. The eyes are very similar and the ears extend down on the head the same distance. I believe it is him,’ he told New Idea, adding that it is a ’90 per cent match’.

Patrick was declared dead in 2008, despite not one of 22 passengers on board fishing boat Freedom seeing him go overboard in San Pedro, California.

Private detective Philip Klein – who was hired by Dateline in 2009 to track Patrick down – said it was ‘concluded beyond reasonable doubt’ that Patrick is alive. 

Olivia meanwhile said in 2016, that Patrick’s disappearance was ‘very hard’ and still wondered whether he was alive. 

Grief: Olivia meanwhile said in 2016, that Patrick's disappearance was 'very hard' and still wondered whether he was alive

Grief: Olivia meanwhile said in 2016, that Patrick’s disappearance was ‘very hard’ and still wondered whether he was alive

In an interview with Australia’s 60 Minutes last year, the star admitted she has struggled to accept both his disappearance and claims he faked his death.

She explained: ‘It was very hard, he was lost at sea and nobody really knows what happened.

When asked by reporter Karl Stefanovic whether she still thinks about the disappearance, Olivia said while she still wonders, it doesn’t consume her life like it once did.

‘It’s human to wonder. Those are the things in life you have to accept and let go because whenever you go through difficult times there are always those concerns but…’

She paused and added: ‘I live on.’ 

'I live on': In an interview with Australia's 60 Minutes last year, the star admitted she has struggled to accept both his disappearance and claims he faked his death (seen with husband John Easterling)

‘I live on’: In an interview with Australia’s 60 Minutes last year, the star admitted she has struggled to accept both his disappearance and claims he faked his death (seen with husband John Easterling)

 



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