Australian music fans have been given a glimpse of icon John Farnham for the first time in months.
Farnham, 76, was spotted in two photos over the Christmas period.
His son Rob posted a photo on Facebook showing the music legend and his family gathered around a table for Boxing Day.
John is sitting in the front of the photo, smiling with his family standing behind him and his wife Jill beside him.
The You’re The Voice singer was also seen in a photo posted on Instagram by his other son, James Farnham.
“Merry Christmas from the Farnhams,” the caption reads.
The pictures appear to be taken on the same day.
He was last spotted in early 2025, when he attended a birthday celebration for his wife’s 70th.
The singer largely vanished from the public eye after a battle with mouth cancer.
Farnham was diagnosed with oral cancer after doctors found a tumour in his mouth in 2022.
He needed a 12-hour surgery, resulting in parts of his mouth and jaw removed.
Following eight weeks of radiation, he was declared cancer-free, but his ability to speak and sing was impacted.
He discussed how the surgery changed him in his 2024 memoir The Voice Inside
“My facial disfigurement from the surgery means I can’t open my mouth wide enough for a strip of spaghetti, let alone to sing,” he wrote in the book. The Voice Inside.
“I can’t get the movement to make the sounds I want to make, that’s where the vibrations and my voice come from. It’s a very disconcerting thing. And trying hurts.”
This Christmas also marked the first year Farnham has celebrated the holiday as a grandfather, with James and his partner Dr Tessa Effendi welcoming their baby boy Jett in June.
Farnham underwent a 12-hour surgery that required the removal of parts of his mouth and jaw, followed by eight weeks of radiation treatment. He was later declared cancer-free, though the surgery significantly affected his ability to speak and sing.
The singer addressed the impact of the operation in his 2024 memoir The Voice Inside, writing candidly about the physical and emotional toll of the procedure. “My facial disfigurement from the surgery means I can’t open my mouth wide enough for a strip of spaghetti, let alone to sing,” he wrote. “I can’t get the movement to make the sounds I want to make… It’s a very disconcerting thing. And trying hurts.”
Widely regarded as one of Australia’s most beloved performers, Farnham’s career spans more than three decades, with enduring hits including “You’re the Voice.” He remains the only Australian artist to have a No. 1 album in five consecutive decades.
This Christmas also marked a personal milestone for Farnham, who celebrated the holiday as a grandfather for the first time. His son James and partner Dr. Tessa Effendi welcomed their son, Jett, in June.
Reflecting on that chapter in his memoir, Farnham wrote that while his performing days may be behind him, music remains part of his life. “I think it is fair to say the only singing I’ll be doing is lullabies — and the only performing will be for a special audience of one; my first grandchild,” he wrote, before adding, “But you know me… never say never.”