Johnny Rotten says he was forced to abandon his wife's ashes

Former Sex Pistols frontman Johnny Rotten was forced to abandon his wife's ashes as he fled the Los Angeles wildfires. 

The punk icon fled his house last month during the catastrophic California fires, leaving the ashes of his beloved wife Nora Foster behind.

The singer-songwriter, real name John Lydon, took solace in the fact 'they're burnt already'.

He told The Sun: 'When I had to leave the house quickly when everyone was evacuated from the neighbourhood, I thought, 'Well, I might as well leave her ashes here, because they're burnt already'.

'That's the Irish in me. That kind of humour will always be there.'

The 69-year-old lost his wife in April 2023, having cared for her during her battle with Alzheimer's.

And he revealed that he considered taking his own life after the devastation of her death and a further 'hammer blow' when his best friend and manager John Steven died just seven months later.

The lead singer of punk band Public Image Ltd admitted he decided against taking his own life as he feared it would prevent him joining his wife in the afterlife.

He said: 'Taking your own life is a stain on your character. Suicide is a no-no. I don't think you would be going to the same place, because life is beautiful to me.'

He said during difficult moments of his wife's illness they would watch British and Irish comedy shows together, such as Father Ted.

When the Sex Pistols star returned home after the LA fires, which killed 29, his mansion was fortunately undamaged.

His wife's ashes, which he sleeps next to, were unharmed.

The punk artist often spoke about being a full-time carer for Nora, who he previously said he 'always loved' and couldn't live without.

'I've come out of wallowing in alcohol and sadness and self-pity, which you can't avoid, it just happens, it's just in your nature,' he told Metro.

He went on to recall how 'painful' Nora's last day was, with her in 'physical and emotional torment.'

The pair first met in 1975, at Vivienne Westwood's famed King's Road clothes shop Sex and were at first warned off each other by friends, but despite this, John said they had an immediate and explosive connection - one which would last a lifetime.

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The couple married four years later, and the singer became a stepdad to singer Ari Up - who died of breast cancer aged just 48 in 2010.

Shortly before Nora's death, John released Hawaii, an intimate song inspired by his wife's condition.

Despite entering it into the Irish Eurovision competition in 2023, he said he is still not ready to take it on tour as it would be too sad, but added Nora had heard it which was a 'blessing'.

The God Save The Queen singer is beginning a 28-date nationwide tour in May before embarking on a spoken word tour beginning in September.

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