John Farnham Reveals He Was Drugged By Former Manager

John Farnham has shared disturbing allegations about his former manager, Darryl Sambell, in his new memoir.

Farnham’s memoir, The Voice Inside, will be released this Wednesday (30 October). In the book, he claimed that Sambell secretly drugged him “for years” and only found out after he saw a pill dissolving in a cup of coffee one day. Farnham also alleged that Sambell was “aggressively sexual” towards him.

The claims were featured in an excerpt of the book published by The Australian yesterday. The Aussie music legend claimed that Sambell “drugged me for years, and I had no fucking idea” until he saw a half-dissolved pill at the bottom of his coffee cup.

After Farnham confronted Sambell about it, he wrote that his former manager said it was something to “keep [him] awake.”

Sambell, an openly gay man, was also allegedly “aggressively sexual” with Farnham in the early days of his career. Farnham wrote that he had to fend off Sambell’s advances.

Farnham explained, “I said it often enough that I can see now that this rejection turned his attraction into jealousy, hatred and a desire for control.”

Sambell was allegedly so controlling that he was in charge of the singer, including “where and when I worked, what I sang, what I wore, what I ate.”

His former manager even ended up making Farnham “isolated from friends and family,” including his wife, Jill.

In the memoir, Farnham wrote that he reflected on the early days of his career with shame.

“I feel so ashamed of myself for not realising what Darryl was up to or speaking up more often to put him back in his place,” he wrote.

Unpacking the alleged incidents in his memoir, Farnham continued, “Now that I’ve confronted it, I look back on that time with sorrow. I’m annoyed at myself for being so gullible and trusting.”

Sambell was Farnham’s manager from 1967 until 1976. In the '80s, Farnham formed a successful, powerful partnership with music manager Glenn Wheatley.

Earlier this month, Farnham revealed that he’d personally recorded the audiobook of The Voice Inside, saying about the experience: “I’ve just finished narrating my audiobook. It was a bit of a roller-coaster ride. There were more than a few laughs and some tears, but it made me realise how lucky I’ve been.”

You can order The Voice Inside here.

This article may distress some readers. If you or someone you know needs support, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au.