He reportedly suffered health woes over the holidays.
And Bert Newton, 79, looked to be on the mend as he stepped out of a local TAB in Melbourne earlier this month.
The retired TV personality appeared relaxed and wore a blue plaid shirt paired with grey pants on the solo outing.
Solo outing: Bert Newton, 79, was seen stepping out of a local TAB in Melbourne earlier this month
At one point, he appeared pensive as he pondered in thought for several moments.
With one hand in his pocket, the media veteran casually made his way from the betting outlet to a parking lot before driving home.
While in his prime the Gold Logie winner was one of the highest-paid Australian TV stars, it hasn’t always been smooth financial sailing for Bert and wife of 43 year years, Patti.
In 1993 the couple were revealed to be $1 million in debt, with the cause of the issue said to be Bert’s gambling.
Deep in thought: At one point, he appeared pensive as he pondered in thought for several moments
Time to go: With one hand in his pocket, the media veteran casually made his way from the betting outlet to a parking lot before driving home
More recently however, it seems Bert has mostly been struggling with reported health issues.
Last week, Woman’s Day claimed he was struck down with ‘a severe case of shingles’ over the Christmas period.
According to the publication, it was Bert’s wife Patti who spent the season nursing him ‘back from the brink.’
On the mend? Last week, Woman’s Day claimed he was struck down with ‘a severe case of shingles’ over the Christmas period
Challenges: While in his prime the Gold Logie winner was one of the highest-paid Australian TV stars, it hasn’t always been smooth financial sailing for Bert and wife of 43 year years, Patti
The magazine quoted a close family friend as saying that , although the TV icon wasn’t rushed to hospital, ‘Patti refused to let nursing staff take over and spent hours and hours at his bedside caring for him.’
The friend allegedly added: ‘She hated seeing him in so much pain.’
Patti recently shared a photo to Instagram that showed her spending time with her husband in the sunshine, accompanied by the caption ‘Life’s pretty good.’
Family man: Bert shares two adult children with Patti, a son Matthew and daughter Lauren
And whilst Bert looked to be in fantastic health, the family friend claims ‘He’s [Bert] still recovering, although you wouldn’t know it to look at him’.
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Bert’s management for comment on the alleged health scare.
Bert shares two adult children with Patti, a son Matthew and daughter Lauren.
Past struggles: In 1993 the couple were revealed to be $1 million in debt, with the cause of the issue said to be Bert’s gambling