The former GMTV presenter was told she had early onset dementia in 2023
Fiona Phillips has appeared in a rare video message. A clip was uploaded to her husband’s Instagram page this week. It comes after Fiona released a memoir about her experience of living with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
The former GMTV presenter was told she had early onset dementia in 2023, after suffering from months of brain fog and anxiety. In what she was hoping would be menopausal symptoms, Fiona soon learned she had inherited Alzheimer’s after both her parents had already lost their lives to the disease.
Alzheimer’s is the UK’s biggest killer and Fiona’s husband Martin Frizell, former editor of This Morning, has spoken about how the family are coping while Fiona is living with dementia.
The dad-of-two spoke to Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond about his wife’s heartbreaking battle. He shared: “She’s got bad depression because she wants to work, she’d love to be here, she’s not well enough today to come and talk to you.”
In the message shared on Instagram this afternoon, she said: “Hello! Thank you for reading my book. Really good of you. Hope you like it. Okay, bye!”
Martin, who stepped down as the editor of This Morning earlier this year, shared in the caption that they had been out for a walk. He wrote: “Out for a walk and an Almond Magnum on a hot London afternoon and some words of gratitude for all the kind folk thinking of delving into her book.”
Martin previously shared his anger about the lack of awareness of the disease, as Fiona is releasing a memoir titled “Remember When” to start the conversation.
He explained the book gave his wife a purpose: “It started off when we knew it was Alzheimer’s. It was to give her a purpose, to give her something to do. This is a bubbly, smart, fearless, very modern woman and all of a sudden it stops.”
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia in the UK. Dementia is the name for a group of symptoms associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning. It can affect memory, thinking skills and other mental abilities.
The NHS says: “The exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not yet fully understood, although a number of things are thought to increase your risk of developing the condition.”
These include:
- a family history of the condition
- untreated depression, although depression can also be one of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
- lifestyle factors and conditions associated with cardiovascular disease
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive condition, which means the symptoms develop gradually over many years and eventually become more severe. It affects multiple brain functions. The first sign of Alzheimer’s disease is usually minor memory problems.
