Mary Austin gives first TV interview about Freddie Mercury book
Mary Austin, Freddie Mercury's close friend and former fiancée, speaks publicly for the first time about their life together in a new book on his lyrics.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Mary Austin, the woman Freddie Mercury proposed to in 1973 and who stayed with him until his death in 1991, has given her first television interview to promote a new book about the Queen frontman's lyrics. The book, titled "Freddie Mercury: A Life in Lyrics", draws on the singer's personal notebooks, which Austin rediscovered after his death.
In the interview, Austin describes herself as a "very dear friend" rather than a former partner. She and Mercury were engaged in the 1970s, but the engagement ended when she realised he was gay. "Probably in about the mid-'70s," she said, when asked when she knew they would not marry. "It was desperately difficult." But the end of the engagement did not end their relationship. Mercury asked her to work for him, and she became a constant presence in his life, even moving his piano into her flat.
The book was inspired by the moment she rediscovered Mercury's book of lyrics. "I realised that they carried a history, they carried a story of their own, because it had warmth, it had joy," she said. "Just on the scribblings out, you could journey with him." She also spoke about the song "Love of My Life", saying the line "When I grow older, I'll be there at your side to remind you how I still love you" came from a conversation they had when they were young. "I just said this in passing," she explained.
Austin also recalled pushing Mercury to perform at Live Aid in 1985, despite his doubts about having the energy. "No-one pushes Freddie to do anything," she said, but she did. She later realised that his hesitation may have been linked to his health. Mercury was diagnosed with AIDS, and Austin was with him every day towards the end. "To see someone you love suffer is horrible," she said. "I'm just there by his bed. I arrive every morning at nine o'clock to sit with him."
Mercury died in 1991, leaving most of his estate, including a creative archive spanning decades, to Austin. She has now chosen to share their story, saying, "I felt that now I'm much older, I couldn't afford to share more of Freddie, but the lyrics gave me a better platform in which to do that." The interview also features an exhibition of Mercury's costumes at the V&A Museum, which were part of the estate left to Austin. She said she wants people to remember him as "a wonderful, creative human being".
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| Freddie Mercury had been diagnosed with AIDS before his death. | |
| Freddie Mercury left almost everything, including a creative archive, to Mary Austin. | |
| Freddie Mercury proposed to Mary Austin in 1973, but they did not marry. | |
| Mary Austin gave her first TV interview for a book about Freddie Mercury. | |
| Mary Austin was among those who encouraged Freddie Mercury to participate in Live Aid. | |
| Mary Austin was with Freddie Mercury every day towards the end of his life. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This segment is a longer, more detailed feature with David Sillito's interview with Mary Austin. It focuses on the emotional depth of her relationship with Freddie Mercury, the significance of the lyrics, and her first TV interview. The tone is reflective and intimate, with extended quotes from Austin about their engagement, the end of it, and her final days with him.
- “I'm Mary Austin, and it's very hard to describe who I was in Freddie's life, but I would just say very dear friend.”
- “I felt that now I'm much older, I couldn't afford to share more of Freddie, but the lyrics gave me a better platform in which to do that.”
- “To see someone you love suffer is horrible. I'm just there by his bed.”
This is a shorter, more condensed version of the same story. It leads with the fact that Mary Austin has spoken for the first time about her life with Freddie Mercury, and includes key moments from the interview, but with less detail and fewer direct quotes. The tone is more newsy and factual, emphasising the book's title and the 50-year gap since the proposal.
- “For The first time the woman who was engaged to the superstar Freddie Mercury more than 50 years ago has spoken about their life together”
- “the Queen frontman proposed to Mary Austin in 1973 but they never married”
- “It feels like a goodbye, doesn't it? Oh, absolutely. Yes”
Broadcast Timeline
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