Courtney Murphy, the third place winner in season two of the iconic show, has shared an emotional health update, 18 months after he was diagnosed with late-stage bowel cancer.
The 45-year-old singer, who is undergoing chemotherapy treatment at home every two weeks, opened up about his health battles in an interview with PerthNow on Friday.
“I’m not beating this, I’m just going to be as strong as long as I can, and that’s all I’m going to focus on, because there’s two truths happening at once,” Courtney told the publication.
“One is, I’m going to pass away at some point, but I’ll deal with that when that comes. So right now, the other truth is I’m here, and I’m going to put out as much creative output as I possibly can with these two amazing human beings next to me.”
The Perth singer and his brothers, Chris and Kieran, were interviewed by the outlet to talk about the release of their latest album Something in the Water.
They’ve opened up about how they’ve had to adjust their recording sessions, according to Courtney’s energy levels, with Chris saying the trio “have been recording all the way along,” despite his health battle.
Chris revealed the siblings were preparing for another album set to release next year, and admitted they sometimes forget the extent of Courtney’s pain because he hides it so well.
“I‘ve never seen a braver person than my brother dealing with this, he never complains,” Chris said.
Kieran, who drums in their band The Murphy Brothers, said witnessing his brother’s health battle has been difficult.
“It’s quite a shock to go through something like this. Courtney’s not only our brother, and we are close as brothers, but he’s been a musical partner of 30 years,” Kieran said
“Chris and I have done some shows without him and it’s just a completely different energy, a different vibe on stage, missing that integral part – that beautiful voice,” he added.
Courtney’s cancer battle comes after their father Kim passed away to an aggressive brain tumour in January 2024.
The singer has also shared a message of gratitude as the WA community continues to support him and his family.
“I haven’t actually said thank you to the public. I haven’t really had an opportunity to, so I’d love to just say… thanks, I’m so moved by the public who’ve got right behind me,” he said.
“I’ve always been treated so beautifully by WA, goes right back to Idol days… So I’m just so moved.”
Courtney also expressed how grateful he was to be surrounded by his loved ones, after doctors initially predicted that he would not make it to Christmas.
“According to my oncologist, I wasn’t supposed to see Christmas, so I’m coming up to my next one, which is even better,” he said.
“Just staying strong, that’s a massive part of it, and a huge part of that is staying strong in your brain, and that’s why the brothers are so important to me even more so right now.”
The Murphy Brothers are set to be the opening act at the Red Hot Summer Tour festival in Sandalford Wines on December 6, a moment the brothers have announced as “career defining”.
Image: The Murphy Brothers/ 7News
