'There will be tears, a lot of laughter and reflection on a life well-lived'

The sold-out service, held in Hamer Hall will begin at 4pm and will be televised on Channel 9 from 3.30pm for those who cannot attend in person. 

“There will be tears, a lot of laughter and reflection on a life well lived,” Nine’s Entertainment Editor Richard Wilkins told Weekend Today.

Wilkins, a long-time friend of Newton-John’s, has been invited by her family to speak at the service.

“She was a person who was universally adored and brought so much into the world. She was a remarkable person,” he said.

After surviving cancer in 1992 and again in 2013, it returned in 2017 and on August 9, 2022, the Grammy-award winner lost her battle with spinal cancer.

“There will be lots of emotion,” Wilkins said.

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“A lot of people are getting together for the first time since Olivia left us all.

“There will be quite a congregation of friends and family, of course.”

Across six decades, Newton-John released 28 studio albums, won four Grammy awards, and sold more than 100 million records worldwide.

Newton-John’s family and close friends will say speeches in her honour, with a few of her famous friends including Delta Goodrem set to perform songs in her memory during the service.

“I can’t think of anyone better to do this. Delta will be performing some of her biggest hits,” Wilkins said.

“She never said a bad word about anyone and no-one said a bad word about her. She was just such a sweet person.”