Singer reborn with a wife and new faith

Warrnambool Standard 19th Dec 2011 Copyright Warrnambool Standard

SINGING sensation Peter Brocklehurst has met the rich and famous, performed in front of packed-out theatres and notched up several gold records. But no accolade or accomplishment can compare to his wedding on Saturday to former social worker Viviana. The 52-year-old and his new wife were all smiles after reflecting on a remarkable year which has resulted in Brocklehurst giving up alcohol and cigarettes, as well as shedding an impressive number of kilograms. Brocklehurst credits his transformation to Viviana and embracing Christianity, two factors which have allowed him to reassess his life and restore his health. The Warrnambool man said his life had descended into a destructive cocktail of prescription medication, alcohol and cigarettes in order to numb the pain of childhood trauma and a career on stage which left him unfulfilled. “Viviana told me a while back that she had a list of attributes that she wanted in the perfect man,” Brocklehurst said. She wanted to marry a man who didn’t drink, didn’t smoke, was fit and active, could be a proper father to her daughter and maybe even sing. “I had the singing part but I really had to work hard on the others.” The couple met more than a year ago when Brocklehurst was struggling through a particularly emotional rough patch. However, their fledgeling romance went from strength to strength during 2011 with the “Singing Cobbler” proposing to Viviana four months ago. Their marriage was staged at the Warrnambool breakwater with a whole host of family and friends in attendance, including former Little River Band frontman Graeham Goble. Brocklehurst’s father Tommy acted as best man at the bittersweet occasion, which was tinged with regret at the loss of the singer’s mother Helen only months earlier. “I’ve never done anything in half-measures and that’s meant that I’ve lived a life of extremes,” he said. “I just drank to extremes. I’d have half-a-dozen Jack Daniels (whisky) cans for breakfast, a bottle of wine at lunch and a couple of litres of port at night to get to sleep. “It took a lot of willpower, a lot of faith and the help of Viv but I slowly got there and I’m feeling so much better.” Brocklehurst’s faith has been reaffirmed by his new bride and the couple are working to establish Gospel House Ministry in Warrnambool.