A new book returns to a dark episode in the life of Johnny, who flirted with love. Years later, Laeticia Hallyday confirms that “the weapon was loaded”.
Johnny Hallyday may have died five years ago, the singer continues to live through his music, his loved ones and his legend. Recently, a documentary was dedicated to his son David Hallyday, caught in a terrible legal battle at the death of his father and back on stage. He mentioned in particular his complex relationship with the singer who did not want him to use his name Smet, unlike his daughter Laura.
It is now a book that says more about Johnny and especially about his demons. Former RTL and Europe 1 host Sam Bernett publishes Johnny Circus and reveals dark moments in the artist’s life and career. He looks back on a destructive love relationship and this period when he played Russian roulette. Events commented on by his wife Laeticia, who was not fooled by his infidelities and fiercely protects his daughter Joy.
What’s next after this ad
“I don’t know how he survived”, says Laeticia Hallyday
Published on June 1 by L’Archipel editions, the book hides nothing of the excesses of the interpreter of Black is black. The subtitle of the book says it all:Johnny Hallyday’s nightmare tour”. In 1972, the latter had imagined a road trip show, between circus acts, music and dance. But too expensive and poorly organized, it turns into a disaster. At that time, he is in a relationship with Nanette Workman, an American singer, and their relationship is destructive. Johnny will even say that she hurt him a lot, plunging him into drugs. Their day started with a line of coke…
The couple is even violent and Sam Bernett, a privileged witness, recounts an evening at Gu’, a pizzeria in Salon-de-Provence, during which they play russian roulette. Johnny’s photographer and friend Tony Franck says he saw them with a pistol, Johnny open the cylinder, revealing a bullet inside the weapon, which is therefore loaded. It would have been too much for the singer, who then comes down to earth.
Laeticia Hallyday confirmed to the author: “The bullet in the revolver was the time of Nanette Workman, who was as stoned as he was and with whom he was madly in love”. For Johnny’s last wife, Nanette was: “one of the most important women in his life. A really passionate love story, I don’t know how they survived“.