Heartfelt tribute from Bert Newton’s son Matthew will be read out at the TV icon’s funeral

A personal message written by Bert Newton’s son Matthew will be read out at TV icon’s funeral on behalf of the troubled actor after it was confirmed he will not be attending the service.

Matthew, who is now a director and writer residing in New York, is said to be penning a heartbreaking tribute to his dad, who passed away at a Melbourne hospital on Saturday at the age of 83 after a long battle with ill health.   

Entertainment reporter Peter Ford said the message will be part of Bert’s state funeral, which will take place in the coming days. 

‘Matthew, the son, is not going to be there. He’s not answerable to the media, he’s not answerable to the public – that’s his choice,’ Ford revealed on The Morning Show.   

‘What I can tell you is that there will be a message that will be read, that he will compose himself, that will be read at the funeral as will other messages be read obviously but he will not be attending.’  

Matthew, who is now a director and writer residing in New York, is said to be penning a heartbreaking tribute to his dad, who passed away at a Melbourne hospital on Saturday at the age of 83 after a long battle with ill health 

Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia from her Melbourne home on Monday, Patti confirmed her son would not return to Melbourne from his home in New York to attend the star’s funeral.

She also slammed recent media reports that her TV legend husband was estranged from their son.

‘The press are just desperate to find a little glitch into (their relationship),’ she said. 

Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia from her Melbourne home on Monday, Patti confirmed her son would not return to Melbourne from his home in New York to attend the star’s funeral 

‘He won’t be coming. For no reason. I don’t know, I mean maybe he needs to put a statement out to stop everybody thinking that there’s a rift or something.’  

Bert died aged 83 on Saturday after a well publicised battle with illness over recent months.    

Such was his regard in his hometown of Melbourne, he will be farewelled in a state funeral in the coming days. 

Matthew Newton in 2017. Little has been seen of him in recent years. His mum Patti has dismissed suggestions he had a rift with his famous father Bert 

At the time of his death Bert had been receiving palliative care at a clinic in Melbourne

Patti lashed out at media reports that continue to suggest her son had been estranged from his father in the years before his death. 

‘There was no rift. He’s had many long conversations with Bert in the hospital and that was all fine,’ she said. 

The beloved singer, who is 76, said Matthew would be held-up by the Covid-19 pandemic, which continues to cause havoc across the United States. 

‘It’s just the logistics of it all, and with Covid, and with everything else,’ she said. 

Patti revealed Matthew was able to see his father regularly while he was alive via video calls. 

‘But he didn’t personally, so I would find that a bit sad if the time that he saw him was when he wasn’t really alive.’  

Patti revealed Matthew had spoken to Bert in his final days via video conference where they would discuss his famous father’s relationships with some of Hollywood’s hottest stars of his era. 

‘He had the best conversations. They’re both into movies and things, so they talked about old movies and I think the height of the conversation was about Glenn Ford because Bert was the only one that Glenn Ford would speak to and Matthew had heard the story and he wanted to hear it again,’ she said.  

‘I’ve had so many conversations with him. We had a conversation last night and all the family were here. (The media) want to make it a rift, but there was no rift. There was never a rift with Bert,’ she added. 

Patti and Bert Newton in happier times