Five years after losing the love of her life, Patti Newton has revealed the touching weekly ritual that has brought a special kind of comfort into her home – and it involves one of her youngest grandchildren.
As Patti continues to navigate life without her beloved husband, Australian television legend Bert Newton, her 10-year-old grandson Monty has taken it upon himself to make sure his grandmother never feels alone.
Every Saturday night, Monty has a sleepover at Patti’s house, a simple but deeply meaningful tradition that has become one of the most treasured parts of their relationship.
But it is what the youngster says and does during those visits that has left Patti especially touched – and reminded her just how much of Bert lives on in the next generation.
The little boy who makes sure his Nan is never lonely
Patti, now 81, recently appeared on Weekend Sunrise alongside Monty, where the pair spoke affectionately about their close relationship.
While all six of Patti’s grandchildren have rallied around her since Bert’s passing, Monty has developed a particularly special routine.
The 10-year-old spends every Saturday night at his grandmother’s home, making sure she has company and someone to share those quiet weekend moments with.
Patti revealed that Monty often reaches for her hand and gently checks whether she is doing alright.
“He holds my hand and says, ‘Are you OK, Nan, you’re not lonely?’” she shared.
It is a small question, but one that carries enormous meaning.
For Patti, who spent almost five decades sharing her life with Bert, those moments of affection are a reminder that she is still surrounded by the love of her family.
And Monty appears to understand that even the smallest gestures can make a difference.
A promise that began after Bert was gone
Monty’s special connection with Patti did not begin with a television appearance or a recent family tradition.
It dates back to the period following Bert’s death in October 2021.
In an earlier interview with New Idea in January 2023, Patti recalled the moment her young grandson decided he did not want her sleeping alone.
“When Bert passed, little Monty said, ‘I don’t like sleeping on your own, Nan, I’m going to come and sleep with you,’” Patti revealed.
She remembered feeling his little hand reaching across to hold hers during the night.
He would check whether she was lonely, and Patti would reassure him that having him beside her made everything feel a little better.
Monty’s response was equally touching.
“Good, cause Poppy would want me to do that.”
Those words stayed with Patti.
What began as a little boy’s instinctive way of comforting his grandmother gradually became a lasting tradition between them.
And years later, the Saturday-night sleepovers continue.
The moment Monty made his grandmother look up at the moon
There is another moment between the pair that Patti particularly treasures.
During their conversation on Weekend Sunrise, Monty recalled an occasion when he encouraged his grandmother to look out of the window at the full moon.
“Look Nan, it’s Poppy!” he told her.
Rather than seeing the moon as simply another beautiful sight in the night sky, Monty connected it with his late grandfather.
Patti embraced the sentiment, explaining that the family likes to imagine Bert is still watching over them.
“Poppy always looks down on us, and he keeps an eye on us all the time,” she said.
She also revealed a special expression the family continues to use when remembering him.
“We always say ‘to the Moonface and back,’ because Bert was Moonface.”
The nickname was a familiar part of Bert’s personality. He had been given the name by fellow entertainer Don Lane, and it became one of the affectionate reminders of the man loved by generations of Australian television viewers.
For the Newton family, it has taken on an even more personal meaning.
The words have become a way of keeping Bert part of their everyday conversations, particularly for the grandchildren growing up without him.
Monty was only five when he lost his famous grandfather
One of the saddest parts of Patti’s story is how little time Bert had with some of his younger grandchildren.
Monty was just five years old when his grandfather passed away on October 30, 2021, aged 83.
Patti has spoken about how much she wished Bert could have spent more time with the younger members of the family.
Although Monty was still very young when he lost him, the family has continued to keep Bert’s memory alive through stories, affectionate nicknames and little traditions.
That connection was particularly evident during the recent television appearance, when Monty spoke about the moon and the way he imagines his Poppy still looking after the family.
Patti also made a heartfelt observation about her grandson.
“There’s a lot of Bert in Monty,” she said.
It was a simple confession, but one that revealed just how strongly she sees her late husband reflected in the youngster.
Following in Poppy’s footsteps
There may also be another reason Patti sees so much of Bert in Monty.
The youngster has already begun exploring the world of entertainment, following a path that feels rather familiar given his grandfather’s extraordinary career.
Monty has appeared in television advertisements and productions including Goolagong and Magic Beach.
Bert, of course, was one of Australia’s most recognisable television personalities, enjoying a broadcasting career that spanned decades.
He hosted numerous programmes and became a four-time Gold Logie winner, leaving behind a legacy that remains an important part of Australian entertainment history.
Monty is not the only Newton grandchild showing an interest in performing, either.
His cousin Lola, another of Bert and Patti’s grandchildren, made her acting debut at the age of 11 in the ABC series Gold Diggers.
For Patti, seeing the younger generation develop their own interests while carrying little reminders of their grandfather must make those family moments particularly meaningful.
A family keeping Bert’s memory alive, one Saturday at a time
Bert died on October 30, 2021, following health complications after undergoing leg-amputation surgery earlier that year.
His passing marked the end of a remarkable chapter for Patti, who had shared almost 47 years of marriage with the entertainer.
But the love and memories they built together continue to run through their family.
Patti and Bert left behind two children, Lauren and Matthew, and six grandchildren who have remained an important source of love and support for her.
And among those grandchildren, Monty has found his own special way of being there for his Nan.
There are no grand gestures or elaborate plans involved in their Saturday-night tradition.
Just a little boy, a grandmother, a hand held in the quiet of the night and the occasional reminder to look up at the moon.
For Patti, those moments are about much more than keeping her company.
They are a reminder that although Bert is no longer physically beside her, his memory remains woven into the lives of the people he loved most.
And perhaps that is why her observation about Monty feels so poignant.
In the little boy who checks whether his Nan is lonely, who sees his Poppy in the full moon and who continues to follow a path into entertainment, Patti sees something of the man she lost – and a beautiful reminder that some parts of him are still very much with the family.