After visiting the doctor on Wednesday because he was experiencing chest pains, Newton was sent immediately to Epworth Hospital in Richmond for surgery.
The Channel 9 TV legend is being kept company by his wife Patti and grandchildren and said he was feeling positive in what will be a tough 24 hours.
“Obviously it’s not the sort of thing you would wish upon yourself, but I am philosophical.
“I know it’s not Christmas Eve but it’s something that is going to be quite a journey that I’ve not made before,” he said.
Newton expects to be in hospital for at least two weeks with more rehabilitation to follow.
He said he should have probably gone to the doctors earlier.
“It’s brought it home to me, all the things that I’ve been saying about what men should do, I should have been a little bit more closer to it myself,” he said.
“Because I’ve had some chest pains and I sort of fobbed them off and said you know, it’s indigestion or whatever… and I came in for a check up because I had some stents in my heart, and turns out it’s a little more serious then that.”
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