John Farnham cancer diagnosis: The Voice singer in hospital for surgery

Legendary singer, John Farnham, 73, will be undergoing surgery after a recent cancer diagnosis.

The Victorian entertainer was admitted to hospital on Tuesday morning for surgery and ongoing treatment, a statement from his family confirmed.

Surgeons are confident they will be able to remove all traces of the cancerous growth from his body. No extra details have been disclosed on his diagnosis.

Farnham also provided a statement, in which he shared his gratitude for the Victorian health system.

"Cancer diagnosis is something that so many people face every single day, and countless others have walked this path before me," Farnham said in a statement.

"The one thing I know for sure is that we have the very best specialist healthcare professionals in Victoria, and we can all be grateful for that. I know I am."

His family have requested privacy at this time.

The British-born Australian singer is perhaps best known for his 1986 single, 'You're the Voice,' which appeared on the album Whispering Jack.

Throughout his career, Farnham has released 21 studio albums, 74 singles and 12 soundtracks. He's also won 12 ARIA awards.

The 'Sadie' singer has been a fixture on Australia's music scene since the 1960s. He initially came to fame as a teen idol in 1967, when he was known as Johnny Farnham. He was also the lead singer of Little River from 1982 to 1985, replacing Glenn Shorrock.

While the singer and his family are known for being private, Farnham opened up about a health scare in 2019.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, the then-70-year-old said he was forced to cancel his Australian tour after he was admitted to hospital for a "severe" kidney infection. The condition developed as a result of a previous surgical procedure, which Farnham chose not to disclose.

"I didn't realise until too late. I'd been feeling uncomfortable. My wife Jill had been telling me to go to the doctor," he said.

Leaving him very dehydrated, he said the illness left him "very unwell" and became a "wake-up call to look after myself a bit more".

Farnham was also close friends and a frequent collaborator with Olivia Newton-John, who died in August following a 30-year battle with breast cancer. The singer and Grease star was originally diagnosed in 1992, before announcing in 2017 that it had progressed to stage 4 breast cancer and metastasised to her sacrum.

In the wake of her death, the Farnham family paid tribute to the star.

"The Farnham family send love and sympathies to Olivia's family," they wrote in a statement.

"Behind that iconic smile was a tenacious fighter. A beautiful voice and a loyal friend. She will be greatly missed."