Introduction:
Jonathan Berkery, now 30, is the son of legendary singer Sir Tom Jones and former model Katherine Berkery, born from a brief three-day affair. For many years, Sir Tom denied paternity until a court-mandated DNA test confirmed the connection, leading him to provide financial support. Despite this legal acknowledgment, Sir Tom has consistently declined to establish a personal relationship with Jonathan, who has made several public pleas for his famous father to reach out.
But what lies behind this silence?
At 78, Sir Tom has addressed the subject of Jonathan only once—back in 2008.
At the time, Sir Tom commented: “It wasn’t something I had intended. If it had been planned, I would have taken more responsibility beyond just financial support. But it wasn’t— I was caught off guard. I gave in to the moment, to the seduction.”
Despite Sir Tom Jones’s estimated net worth of $300 million (£235 million), his son Jonathan has faced a life marked by hardship. Most recently, he was reported to be living in a shelter, struggling to make ends meet. In July, he was staying in temporary accommodation in New Jersey, earning just £5.50 an hour stacking shelves and busking to survive.
Over the years, Jonathan has experienced bouts of homelessness and has openly spoken about battling drug issues—struggles he attributes, in part, to the pain of lifelong rejection.
Last year, he broke his silence once again, expressing a heartfelt plea to connect with his ageing father “before it’s too late.”
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Jonathan made a heartfelt appeal: “I’m not asking for help with my career or anything like that. I just want to meet my father before it’s too late. As we both know, life is too short to let the important things pass by—so let me know when you get a chance.”
His emotional plea came in the wake of Sir Tom’s hospitalisation due to a bacterial infection, which served as a stark reminder of life’s fragility.
In a separate interview with The Mirror last July, Jonathan revealed the pain behind his long-standing silence, admitting he was “really hurt” by Sir Tom’s past comment that he had been “tricked” by Jonathan’s mother.
Jonathan recalled: “In 2008, he finally gave an interview acknowledging me—but said my mother had tricked him. That wasn’t true, and it really hurt.”
Struggling with the emotional fallout, Jonathan admitted he turned to drugs—cocaine and ecstasy—as a way to numb the pain. “I used to fantasize about going to one of his concerts and causing a scene, or secretly auditioning for The Voice just to give him the finger when he turned his chair,” he confessed.
But those turbulent days are behind him. “I’ve straightened myself out now and mellowed. I just want to see my father before it’s too late.”