real life

Tom Jones' wife, Melinda Woodward has tragically passed away.

The wife of singer, Sir Tom Jones, Lady Melinda Rose Woodward has passed away over the weekend from cancer.

According to a statement released on the singer’s website, Lady Woodward, passed away on Sunday, in the early hours of the day.

Lady Woodward experienced a “short but fierce battle with cancer” and her husband was by her side during her death.

Jones and Woodward had been married for 59 years, after they met when they were just children. The two began dating at just 15, and married in 1957 when she as only 16. She fell pregnant in the same year.

tom jones wife
Tom and Linda at their home in 1967. Image via Getty.

Woodward stayed away from the limelight when Jones rose to fame in 1960s. Throughout the marriage, Jones admitted to have a series of affairs with groupies and other celebrities. After she discovered one of his affairs with a Miss World, Woodward even beat up Jones in their Los Angeles home.

Jones said in an interview with The Sunday Times Magazine, "I stood there and I took it. She chinned me. She punched and shouted."

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Despite this, in his biography, Jones wrote he "never had that feeling for anyone else...I don't think you can fall in love more than once."

 

Reports say she had experienced two battles of cancer and Jones suspected his wife had depression.

"I've realised she's had depression since she was young. She's always had a touch of it," Jones said.

"She's the most important thing in my life. An unbelievable woman. Linda is the love of my life and she still is, even though she doesn't look like she did. I don't look like I did, either but I try my best."

tom jones wife
The two together. Image via Getty.

The pair have one son, Mark who is aged 59. The pair said they wanted to have more children, however, after Woodward experience a miscarriage she was left infertile.

During this difficult time, Jones and their family have requested privacy.