Sex Pistols icon John Lydon has shed light on the loneliness he feels since his beloved wife Nora Forster passed away last year.
In April 2023, the 68-year-old punk rocker, known as Johnny Rotten, lost Nora at the age of 80 after a two-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
He has since been candid about his battles with grief and in a new interview with The Sunday Times Home the star opened up about life at his Los Angeles home since his death.
John tragically confessed that he “bounces around during the day”, but when night falls he no longer cooks because “it seems useless and selfish”, while also confessing that he tries to “drown himself in alcohol” without success.
He said: ‘At night it is terribly lonely. All the memories keep coming back and they won’t leave you. Your body stays still but your brain doesn’t turn off.’
Sex Pistols icon John Lydon has shed light on the loneliness he feels since his beloved wife Nora Forster passed away last year (John pictured in September).
The punk legend became his wife’s full-time caregiver after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s two years before her death (couple pictured in 1986).
John, who married Nora in 1979, became his wife’s full-time carer after she was diagnosed with the degenerative disease in 2021.
Last year he tragically announced that Nora had passed away and has since been open and honest about his battles with grief.
In September last year, Johnny confessed that it was “almost a relief” when he passed away and was freed from his battle. Speaking on GMB, she was asked what the months after his death had been like. He replied: ‘It has been hard but we endured…
‘He died laughing until the last day. She had a hard time breathing but she died happy and she knew that I loved her and that’s the only thing that matters.’
John continued: ‘It was almost a relief (when she died) as she was able to get out of her misery for five whole years, but I loved every minute of it.
‘I didn’t care about wheelchairs or diapers. I grew fond of her in a whole new way and learned a lot of new things about her.
‘Just sharing comedy and humor with her was incredible because that would give her memories of what was going on. ‘She was a very independent and strong woman.’
John explained that he had to learn to be patient with Nora, as it was crucial while caring for someone with dementia.
He tragically announced last year that Nora had passed away and has since been open and honest about his battles with grief (the couple pictured in 2011).
She added: “The first year she was sick, it was a learning curve, then you get used to it and then you learn to relax a little bit.” There is no point in arguing, don’t ask questions and let them enjoy what they enjoy.
She didn’t like being treated with condescension, because it would drive her crazy with fury. Don’t coddle them (people with dementia) and don’t ask them too many questions.’
John spoke again about how he turned to food and alcohol shortly after Nora’s death. He continued: ‘All he did was make me gain weight. I’ve never gotten drunk and thought, “This is stupid,” so I stopped.
“But the problem is that it’s not just the brandy, it’s the instant microwave meals that go with it and you just get destroyed and the only way I know to get fit is to get back on stage.”
In 1975, Nora met John, who was 14 years her junior, at Vivienne Westwood’s famous Sex clothing store on the King’s Road.
At first, friends warned each other, but despite this, John said they had an immediate and explosive connection, one that would last a lifetime.
In September last year, Johnny confessed that it was “almost a relief” when he passed away and was freed from his battle. Speaking on GMB, she was asked what the months after his death had been like. He replied: ‘It has been hard but we endured’