The State Memorial Service to honour the extraordinary life of Dame Olivia Newton-John will be broadcast live from 3.30pm AEDT this Sunday, February 26, on Channel 9 and 9Now.
Our coverage of the service, to be held at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, will be hosted by Alicia Loxley and Tony Jones.
Olivia passed away on August 8, 2022 following a 30-year battle with breast cancer. She was 73. The service will be an opportunity for the nation to honour Olivia’s memory and her achievements.
Across a career spanning six decades, Olivia released 28 studio albums and six live albums, won four Grammy Awards, reached number one on the charts numerous times, and sold more than 100 million records worldwide.
Olivia is best known for her role of schoolgirl Sandy in the 1978 film Grease with John Travolta. Still one of the most successful movie musicals of all time, Grease is a cultural icon and the soundtrack of a generation. It included hits such as You’re the One That I Want and Summer Nights and earned Olivia a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Musical/Comedy).
First diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992, Olivia used her own cancer journey as a way to raise research funds and promote cancer awareness, including the benefits of early detection and wellness. In partnership with Austin Health, the Olivia Newton-John Wellness and Research Centre (ONJWRC) opened in 2012. The facility offers treatment, education, training and research, and features a dedicated wellness space for mind, body and spirit.
Dame Olivia leaves an incredible legacy, not only through her work on the stage and screen but also as a philanthropist and advocate. In addition to ONJWRC she founded National Tree Day in Australia and established the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, which sponsors global research into plant medicine to help find kinder treatments for cancer.
OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN – STATE MEMORIAL SERVICE – Sunday on Channel 9 & 9Now
Sydney, Melbourne & Perth: 3.30pm
Brisbane: 2.30pm
Adelaide: 3.00pm
Media Release – Nine
