It has been five years since the tragic death of her beloved husband John, and Kerri-Anne Kennerly misses her best friend dearly.
John, who wed the former Studio 10 host in 1984 at Sydney’s Opera House, suffered a fall from a balcony in March 2016 which left him paralysed and wheelchair-bound.
Kerri-Anne devoted the majority of her time to his full-time care before he passed away at the age of 78 on February 27, 2019.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia at the Mercedes-Benz Women in Business event this week, the Australian TV legend, 70, said over the years her grief has changed.
‘It’s just week, month by month. You just have to work through it and try and be as logical as possible,’ she explained.
Kerri-Anne Kennerley has revealed how her grief has changed since the death of her beloved husband John, the challenges of living alone and what is next for the TV icon
Kerri-Anne husband John died five years ago
‘And resilience I think. I’ve always been strong on resilience. Resilience is one of the most important human qualities that should be in the curriculum at school from five years. If they taught kids as part of the curriculum how to be resilient, how to be the glass is half full, not half empty.
‘I think we have a lot better society. It’s just as important as you know, English and Math.’
Kerri-Anne also spoke about the challenges of living alone, saying it is the little things she misses about having a better half at home – like having someone to zip up your outfit.
The TV icon devoted the majority of her time to his full-time care before he passed away at the age of 78 on February 27, 2019
‘I couldn’t zip (my Balmain jumpsuit up today). I had to knock on my friends apartment next door,’ she said with a laugh.
‘I rang this and said, “you home? Please tell me you’re home.” So I trudge across the hallway and she had to zip me up, because when you live by yourself, you can’t zip!’
Kerri-Anne’s last major television appearance was on I’m A Celebrity last year alongside Domenica Calarco, Harry Garside and Ian ‘Dicko’ Dickson.
The ageless beauty also revealed the secret to her youthful looks and it’s something everyone can afford – happiness
The former queen of daytime TV was previously a presenter on Channel Ten’s now-axed morning program Studio 10, but was was given her marching orders to depart in August 2020 as Network Ten desperately tried to cut costs during the Covid pandemic.
Her departure from the show coincided with Studio 10’s content becoming more politically progressive, as well as a steep decline in ratings.
In November 2023, a Ten spokesperson confirmed that embattled Studio 10 had officially been axed after more than a decade on the air.
Indeed, Kerri-Anne proved her ageless looks when she stepped out to run errands in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs on Wednesday
She is now focusing on being on the board of several organisations and charities, and enjoying her two biggest passions – travelling and golf.
‘I’m travelling a lot and I’m loving it. Two weeks I’m going off to Istanbul, London, Jersey, back to London, it’s fantastic,’ she explained.
‘And then on the 16th of August, I go up to the Kimberley on Scenic Eclipse for an 11 day cruise down to Perth,. And then I think in December, I’ve got a girlfriend who runs big tennis events, and she’s got a huge event in early December in New York.’
She added she has no plans of returning to the TV screens anytime soon because of the grueling hours, but wouldn’t rule out a little project here and there.
‘I don’t even want to work five or six days a week. If you get a five day week job, it’s six days a week,’ she said.
The blonde showed off her slender figure in black zip-through fleece and blue paisley-printed joggers
‘That’s not part of my plan no because I spent 50 years working my backside off.
‘I realise there’s other stuff that you can do, but it’d be nice to have a project here and a project there.
‘So if something comes up, I’ll consider it. But you know, it is. I’m different stage of my life. But it doesn’t mean you can’t do a project.’
The ageless beauty also revealed the secret to her ageless looks and it’s something everyone can afford – happiness.
Indeed, Kerri-Anne proved she was a bare-faced beauty when she stepped out to run errands in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs on Wednesday.
The blonde showed off her slender figure in black zip-through fleece and blue paisley-printed joggers.
Her blonde hair was freshly styled and the television star looked youthful makeup free.
She also looked sensational in a form-fitting Balmain jumpsuit at the annual Mercedes-Benz Sydney Women in Business event earlier this week.
She paired her designer ensemble with Chanel necklaces and gold sparkly Giuseppe Zanotti stilettos.
Kerri-Anne said she has no plans of returning to the TV screens anytime soon because of the grueling hours, but wouldn’t rule out a little project here and there
‘I’ve got say this number one – love life,’ she said of looking and feeling good.
‘Life has its challenges, but then, you know, you suck it up princess and get on with it.
‘I like eating, drinking and being merry, and it’s easier to be happy than it is to be sad.
‘Sad is heavy, it’s exhausting, and I think you really have to make make a concerted effort to be happier and work on things to make them brighter.’
