Cher Says Sonny Bono ‘Seriously Thought’ About Killing Her Before They Split Up

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Cher says the late Sonny Bono “seriously” considered killing her near the end of their “loveless marriage,” during which she also contemplated suicide.

The Grammy winner, 78, lays out “the darkest moment” of the “I Got You Babe” singers’ six-year marriage in excerpts of Cher: The Memoir, Part 1, which hit shelves Tuesday.

The newly minted Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, born Cherilyn Sarkisian, recalled Sonny confessing he “seriously thought about throwing you off our balcony” in 1972.

“He laughed a little at that and so did I. It was crazy that he was telling me,” recalled Cher, according to an excerpt published by TMZ. “He went on: ‘I figured I’d plead insanity like Spade Cooley and get seven years in jail before they released me. Then I’d get a book deal and my own show.’”

Sonny’s remarks came after Cher told him she was not just miserable in their relationship but also attracted to the duo’s guitarist — a confession she wrote was a means to an end. In reality, she felt “trapped” and merely wanted out of the marriage, which left her feeling “dizzy with loneliness,” according to excerpts published by People and Rolling Stone.

Cher said she “saw how easy it would be to” jump from the balcony of the couple’s Las Vegas hotel room “and simply disappear.”

Not wanting loved ones or fans to see suicide as “a viable solution,” Cher ultimately concluded she didn’t “have to jump off,” and “can just leave him.”

Though the Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour hosts unofficially tied the knot in 1964, it wasn’t until five years later that they officially wed and welcomed their only child, Chaz Bono. By 1974, the “If I Could Turn Back Time” singer filed to divorce Bono, citing “involuntary servitude.”

Cher delivered “very emotional” remarks for Sonny at a January 1998 memorial service for her ex-husband, who died days earlier in a skiing accident. He was 62.

–Jami Ganz, New York Daily News (TNS)

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Note: If you or any of your loved ones are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can always reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. They are available 24/7 by phone or online chat.