Jimmy Barnes to be home for Christmas after major surgery: 'Best present I could ever wish for'

Jimmy Barnes will be home in time for Christmas, his wife revealed in a sweet health update to fans.

Jane Barnes shared a photo of the smiling rock star in hospital as he recovers from open-heart surgery, which took place last Wednesday, along with some good news.

"On the 6th Day of Christmas my true love said to me … 'the doctor says I can go home on Friday'," Jane captioned the photo.

Watch the video above.

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"Jimmy will be home for Christmas, that's the best present I could ever wish for."

The Cold Chisel frontman, 67, underwent the major operation after a bacterial infection he'd been battling for two weeks spread to his heart.

"Unfortunately I got some bad news yesterday… despite everyone's best efforts the bacterial infection I've been battling over the last fortnight has apparently now spread to my heart," Barnes wrote in a statement announcing the surgery.

"It's infected an otherwise healthy valve that was replaced some years ago due to a congenital defect, so I'll be getting open-heart surgery over the next few hours to clear out this infection and put in a clean valve."

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Barnes, the father of Today Extra presenter David Campbell, labelled the setback as "hugely frustrating" but said he's trying to keep perspective as "I know a lot of people are battling even worse things".

In addition to thanking hospital staff in the statement, the rocker also paid tribute to his wife, thanking her for the "around the clock love and care over the last few weeks in particular".

"As always I'd be lost without her," he said.

Jane, the Working Class Man's wife of 42 years, has been keeping fans regularly updated on his progress post-surgery, sharing photos of his recovery straight from the hospital ward.

In November Barnes told fans via Facebook that he needed to cancel planned performances as he was fighting bacterial pneumonia - a condition that sees the air sacs in the lungs fill with fluid.

It's been a year of health woes for Barnes, who was forced to have emergency back and hip surgery last December.

At that time, daughter Ella-May Barnes kept fans posted on her dad's progress across the holiday period.