Speaking to Angela Cox for Seven’s Sunday night, Australian TV legend, Kerri-Anne Kennerley, has shared for the first time shocking revelations about a violent relationship in her past.
When asked why she’s speaking out about her “dark past” now, Kerri-Anne replies, “Well my living has been made talking to other people and, to be quiet frank, until now, it wasn’t relevant.”
Kerri-Anne and current husband of 33 years, John.
Kerri-Anne’s first husband was a New York music producer named Jimmy Miller, and the 64-year-old explained that the abuse came as a shock after being reeled in by his charms.
Jimmy Miller allegedly became “very abusive”, regularly beating his wife, with one incident so severe she has to spend a night in the hospital.
Her horrifying revelations of domestic abuse include thoughts and acceptance of her eventual death from a situation that seemed impossible to escape from.
““You know, you just realise that when somebody is 6”2’, crazy off their head — doesn’t matter which room you run into, all you do is close your eyes and wait for it to be over. Because it’s pointless,” Kerri-Anne said.
“I think eventually you just go, ‘I think I will be dead’.”
One evening when it all became too much, Kerri-Anne grabbed her husband’s gun, pointed at him and told him not to come anywhere near her.
“I just went and got the gun, aimed it at him and said, ‘I will shoot you’.”
Her current husband of 33 years, John Kennerley found out about the abusive relationship after Kerri-Anne came to his home for comfort with a black eye and bloody nose.
Kerri-Anne describes John as her “happy ending.”
Would she have pulled the trigger if necessary?
“I think I probably would have,” Kerri-Anne told Angela Cox.
If you need to talk to someone about domestic abuse 1800RESPECT is a 24 hour, national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.
1800RESPECT
1800 737 732
