The singer Petula Clark met Claude Wolff in 1957, after his visit to the Olympia and the magic of love quickly worked. It was in the premises of the Vogue Records label that the future lovers “immediately [été] attracted”. Coming to talk about her musical future, Léon Cabat, then director of the label, suggested that the young singer record in French and therefore collaborate with Claude Wolff, a renowned producer. Deal! They married on June 6, 1961 and had three children together: Barbara, in 1961, Catherine, born in 1963 and Patrick, in 1972. The couple who first lived in Paris ended up settling in Geneva in 1967.
It was on Facebook, on March 21, that Petula Clark announced that her dear husband had passed away at the age of 93 following a short illness. Separated since the 1980s, the couple had not divorced and even continued to cohabit while each made their own life. Under a photo of her and Claude Wolff, passing through Looking forward to Sunday, the British singer wrote a tender tribute message. “Our hearts are heavy. This afternoon, Claude, my husband of so many wonderful years, died, leaving us without words to describe this horrible emotion: grief”she began.
An unusual couple
And to continue: “Thank you to my adorable children, and friends, for giving me the strength to overcome this overwhelming sadness. May peace be with you darling. RIP Claude Wolff (1931-2024)”. His Facebook post sparked many reactions and his fans and loved ones did not hesitate to write him messages of sympathy to express their condolences. The actor and producer was particularly known for his work in the film industry as well as for his collaborations with his wife. Guest on the show Loose Women in 2016, the singer spoke about her atypical relationship with Claude Wolff from whom she was not divorced despite their separation. Petula Clark had clarified that they each led separate love lives and that it worked very well for them.
She declared: “We are still married. Claude is the father of our wonderful children. We still live together but he has his own life and I have mine and it somehow works out. These things are hard to talk about in public, but it works”. The artist then mentioned dating someone while specifying that Claude knew about it. “There is no secret”, she emphasized. And to add: “We became friends first and the romantic side came later. I think it’s pretty good too, because it’s not about frenzied passion. It’s good to be friends with your man !”.
At Daily Mailin 2016, she also returned to her relationship with Claude Wolff. “Of course it’s painful to think that something so wonderful has changed, but he has his life and I have mine. We had three wonderful children together and we love each other very much. It’s just different now. It may not be perfect but we’re making the most of it.”she detailed.
