Yahoo News John Lydon emotional about leaving wife to perform for his Eurovision bid
The Sex Pistols star is a fulltime career to his wife Nora Forster, who inspired his Eurovision entry song Hawaii.
Watch: John Lydon tears up thinking about leaving wife to perform at Eurovision heat
John Lydon confessed he already felt emotional at the thought of being away from his wife to compete for a place in the Eurovision Song Contest.
The Sex Pistols star hopes to represent Ireland in the contest with his band Public Image Ltd (PiL) performing his new single Hawaii, a tribute to his wife Nora Forster, who has Alzheimer's disease.
Lydon, 66, told Good Morning Britain: "It brings tears to my eyes just even thinking about performing it live because I'll be away from her. But I've got to do that."
Read more: John Lydon hoping to represent Ireland at Eurovision 2023
The pub rocker must perform the song on TV in Ireland in order to go before a public vote to be chosen to represent the country at Eurovision.
Lydon said he already felt like a winner because he was helping raise awareness about Alzheimer's.
He explained: "This TV show in Ireland has nominated me out of some 200 contestant with this song to go forward into the Eurovision. I would have to be voted form this who before I actually got in.
"But win, lose or draw I'm bringing awareness to Alzheimer's. That's a win, and a win and win.
"Because that is such a debilitating thing, to watch my wife suffer and have to go to. So more power to the Irish for giving me the respect here."
Lydon and Forster have been married for over 40 years.
He revealed she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2018 and in 2020 said he had become her full-time carer.
His song Hawaii is a love song to Forster. Its lyrics include: "We're here, you and me/Hawaii (hawaii), remember me/I remember you, Hawaii (hawaii)."
Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease and its most common early symptom is memory loss.
Lydon said in 2021: "Sometimes her memory is lethal. She can go back 20 years and remember in the greatest detail with complete accuracy. Now that’s fascinating.
“For me it’s a journey I have to travel and I’m not going to abandon her.”The other acts Public Image Ltd will compete against are Wild Youth, Adgy, Connolly, Leila Jane and K Muni & ND.
Ireland has previously won Eurovision seven times but has not qualified for the grand final since 2018.
Read more: John Lydon backs Jacob Rees-Mogg to be next prime minister
The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 will take place in Liverpool in May. The UK is hosting the contest as UK entrant Sam Ryder came second in 2022, to winning country Ukraine, which is unable to host due to the ongoing Russian invasion.
