Legendary singer John Farnham, 73, will undergo surgery after being recently diagnosed with cancer.

A statement from the family confirmed the Victorian entertainer was taken to hospital on Tuesday morning for surgery and ongoing treatment.

Surgeons believe they will be able to remove all traces of cancer from his body. No further details were revealed about his diagnosis.

Farnham also released a statement in which he expressed his gratitude to the Victorian health system.

“A cancer diagnosis is something that many people face every day, and countless others have walked this road before me,” Farnham said in a statement.

“One thing I’m sure of is that we have the best specialist healthcare professionals in Victoria and we’re all grateful for that. I know I am.”

His family requested secrecy at this time.

Music legends from the 60s to the present

The British-born Australian singer may be best known for his 1986 single “You’re the Voice”, which appeared on the album Whispering Jack.

Throughout his career, Farnham released 21 studio albums, 74 singles and 12 soundtracks. He has also received 12 ARIA awards.

The “Sadie” singer has been a regular on the Australian music scene since the 1960s. He first became known as a teen idol in 1967 when he was known as Johnny Farnham. He was also the lead singer of Little River, replacing Glenn Shorrock from 1982 to 1985.

Farnham’s 2019 health scare

While the singer and his family are known for their privacy, Farnham went public with a health scare in 2019.

The 70-year-old told The Telegraph he was forced to cancel a trip to Australia after being admitted to hospital with a “serious” kidney infection. The condition developed as a result of a previous surgical procedure, which Farnham chose not to disclose.

“I didn’t realize it until it was too late. I kept feeling sick. My wife Jill kept telling me to go to the doctor,” he said.

Left him very dehydrated, he said the disease left him “very unwell” and served as a “wake-up call to take more care of myself”.

Farnham and Olivia’s friendship

Farnham was also a close friend and frequent collaborator of Olivia Newton-John, who died in August after a 30-year battle with breast cancer. The singer and Grease star was initially diagnosed in 1992 before announcing in 2017 that it had developed stage 4 breast cancer and metastasized to her sacrum.

Following her death, the Farnham family paid tribute to the star.

“The Farnham family extends love and sympathy to Olivia’s family,” they wrote in a statement.

“Behind that iconic smile was a tenacious fighter. A beautiful voice and a loyal friend. She will be sorely missed.”