Tina Turner’s longtime friend and talk show queen Oprah Winfrey revealed the rock ‘n’ roll legend was “ready to go” during a hospital visit in 2019 as she reflected on the singer’s legacy.
The Proud Mary superstar has died aged 83 at her Swiss home after a long battle with an unknown illness. The news was announced on Wednesday.
Oprah interrupted her Italian vacation to appear on CBS Matinees Thursday with her friend, Gayle King, to share their memories of the late singer.
Although they know Tina was “not doing well”, the couple said her death was still a “deep blow”.
Oprah Winfrey appeared on CBS Mornings today to talk about Tina Turner and her legacy – revealing during the appearance that the music icon said she was ‘ready’ to die in 2019
Following the singer’s death, Oprah shared a lengthy tribute to Tina, calling her “our eternal rock ‘n’ roll goddess.”
Oprah said she visited Tina while she was in the hospital in 2019 and the caption told her she was “ready to go.” The pair are pictured at the opening night of Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
“I was definitely aware that she was sick, but I had seen her in 2019 and gone… to visit her in the hospital… And she told me then that she was indeed ready to leave, that is to say, ready to leave the planet. ” Oprah told the morning program.
“And I expected then that would be the last time I saw her.”
Oprah also credited Tina’s husband and German music producer Erwin Bach, whom she described as “the most amazing person I’ve ever known,” for “literally [willing] may she live.
“She went through, you know, one health crisis after another,” she said, and Gayle added, “She kept coming back.”
Oprah said that despite Tina’s multiple health battles, including back surgery in February, Erwin, 67, “never gave up.”
The TV mogul said she had been a “huge fan” of Tina and was lucky to call her a friend, with Gayle adding that the singer had a “deep, deep affection” for Oprah.
“It’s amazing when you meet someone you’ve admired for a long time, and they not only live up to what you hoped they would be, but they surpass, surpass and transcend.” And that’s what Tina was,” Oprah said.
Following the singer’s death, the talk show queen shared a lengthy tribute to the late star, saying she started out as a fan of Tina before becoming “a full-fledged groupie, following her on the show broadcast across the country.
Oprah and her close friend Gayle King also credited Tina’s husband, Erwin Bach, whom she described as “the most amazing person I’ve ever known”, for “literally [willing] that she lives
His idolization of Tina eventually turned into “true” friendship, Oprah said.
‘She is our eternal rock ‘n’ roll goddess who contained a breadth of inner strength that grew throughout her life. She was a role model not only for me but for the world. She encouraged a part of me that I didn’t know existed,” she added.
“Once she claimed her freedom after years of domestic abuse, her life became a call for triumph. I’m grateful to her for her courage, for showing us what victory looks like wearing Manolos and a leather miniskirt.
In a test for Oprah Dailythe TV mogul opened up about the moment she learned of Tina’s death from Gayle after turning off her phone while on vacation, saying she was “gized up in immediate tears”.
“I expected to hear this news four years ago in 2019 after visiting her in a hospital in Switzerland, where she told me she was ready to leave this earth,” Oprah wrote.
“She said she had a busy life and was ‘tired’. I’m always suspicious when someone who’s sick says they’re tired. It often means they’re tired from work and energy needed to stay alive. I left the hospital thinking it would be the last time I would see her.
“I was on high alert for a full year afterwards, waiting to receive ‘the call’ from her devoted husband, Erwin. Instead, there were calls with news of improvements, new treatments, therapies, doctors. There have been setbacks and stabilization. I even received an invitation to celebrate his 80th birthday, then his 82nd birthday.
She went on to say, “Becoming his friend has been the blessing of a lifetime.”
Previously, the What’s Love Got To Do With It star was candid about her thoughts on the death and said she had “done what I came here for”.
Then 73, Tina told Oprah in a interview 2013: ‘Even when it’s time to leave and go to another planet, [I’m] excited about it, because I’m curious what it’s all about. Nobody can tell you because nobody came back.
“I’m not excited about dying, but I don’t regret it when it’s time for me. I did what I came here to do. Now that’s the fun. I have good friends. I have a great man in my life, now I have a great husband and I am happy.
Tina was last seen in public in November 2019, attending the Broadway premiere of the musical about her life.
Tina’s final public appearance of 2019, backed by Oprah and her husband Erwin, on the Broadway musical’s opening night
Gayle is pictured with Oprah and Tina at the same event
She was pictured seated in most of the photos from the event and got help from Erwin and Oprah as she walked the red carpet.
One of Tina’s last public photos was shared in March 2021 when she was pictured on social media watching the premiere of her HBO documentary.
Seven months later, the world got its last glimpse of the singer when she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Nutbush City Limits singer did not travel to Cleveland, Ohio for the ceremony, but recorded a video.
She posted a photo of herself receiving the award the following day, October 31.
Although the precise cause of Tina’s death has not been revealed, her health issues have been well documented.
She was diagnosed with hypertension in 1978, saying she never realized she could do anything about it.
Her condition left untreated, Tina suffered a stroke in 2009.
She had another in 2013, just three weeks after marrying her partner of nearly 30 years, Erwin.
Three years later, in 2016, he was diagnosed with bowel cancer.
Doctors removed part of his intestine, but his kidney problems worsened.
Tina suffered unpleasant side effects from her high blood pressure treatment and stopped taking her medication, trying homeopathic medicine instead.
The results were devastating and led to kidney failure.
Erwin donated one of his kidneys to her in 2017.
