Livvy's Romantic Secret
In a surprise secret visit, Olivia Newton-John has flown to Australia with her daughter Chloe to spend Christmas with her estranged husband, Matt Lattanzi. Olivia and Matt split almost two years ago, after 10 years of marriage. But the couple have never divorced.
“It’s a private visit. They didn’t want anyone to know,” says a close friend of the couple. “Olivia had talked about coming to Australia over the holiday period. Then, at the last minute, she put forward her plans and jetted into Sydney with Chloe 10 days before Christmas to see Matt. They’re all going to be spending Christmas Day together, as a family, at a mutual friend’s house in Sydney.”
Olivia’s sister Rona also flew back with Olivia and Chloe and, after Christmas in Sydney, they’re flying to Melbourne to spend time with their mother, Irena Newton-John. A glowing and radiantly happy Olivia flew in with Rona and Chloe determined to keep their impromptu visit quiet.
“It’s very much a family visit,” the friend says. “Olivia doesn’t have any plans to work while she’s here. She just wants this to be a time they can all enjoy together as a family.”
And the friend says that Chloe who was instrumental in getting her parents to reunite for Christmas last year is thrilled they’re all going to be together again this year.
Olivia is the first to admit being Chloe’s mum comes before anything else in her life. The Wildlife host took three months off from her work commitments over Chloe’s summer school break this year so she and Chloe could have the time together.
Olivia didn’t want Chloe to suffer in any way because of her separation from Matt. Reports of their rift caused Chloe distress and she would sometimes come home from school in tears, hurt by remarks other children had made. But Olivia has devoted herself to ensuring Chloe has a warm, loving relationship with both her parents, whether they are together or apart.
She’s described the relationship she has with her strikingly pretty daughter as “very special”.
“We’re more like best friends than mother and daughter,” she says. Olivia and Chloe are staying in Australia for New Year celebrations and plan to head back to their Malibu home in January. “She and Matt seem to have a very amicable arrangement,” says the friend. “While they’re not living together, they seem to be getting along fine, so there’s no reason for a divorce to be discussed. It doesn’t appear to be on the cards.”
Story by Patrice Fidgeon