Former GMTV presenter Fiona Phillips was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2023 and spoke out about her illness in an honest and emotional interview

Despite her vibrant appearance and jovial nature, there was a hint of anxiety lurking beneath her smiles – a symptom that first raised concerns about her health in the aftermath of Covid.

TV star Fiona Phillips disclosed her Alzheimer’s diagnosis last year, after experiencing prolonged periods of brain fog and anxiety. The ex-GMTV anchor was informed about her condition a year prior.

Her spouse, boss of This Morning, Martin Frizell, announced on Wednesday his departure from the role he held for a decade.

In an emotional chat on Chris Evans’ Virgin Radio show, This Morning’s Alison Hammond expressed her feelings: “I’ll be honest with you I’m absolutely devastated. He’s been a real rock for the show. But it’s totally understandable why he’s leaving. You all know about his wife (Fiona Phillip’s). We get why he’s leaving, it’s very amicable. He doesn’t want to leave but he has to for family reasons.”

Fiona, reflecting on her own health struggles when she went public with her diagnosis, remarked: “This disease has ravaged my family and now it has come for me. And all over the country there are people of all different ages whose lives are being affected by it – it’s heartbreaking. I just hope I can help find a cure which might make things better for others in the future.”

Fiona Phillips, the former GMTV presenter, bravely opened up about her Alzheimer’s diagnosis at just 61, a condition that has deeply affected her family. She recounted the harrowing moment she was told by a doctor: “Your results are back.. And yes, I’m afraid they do show early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease.”

Fiona expressed her frustration, saying, “It’s something I might have thought I’d get at 80”, but “I was still only 61 years old. I felt more angry than anything else because this disease has already impacted my life in so many ways; my poor mum was crippled with it, then my dad, my grandparents, my uncle. It just keeps coming back for us.”, reports the Mirror.

Her husband, Martin Frizell, who is the editor of This Morning, confirmed the sad pattern: “Yes, tragically Fiona’s family has been riddled with it.”

Despite keeping her condition secret for 18 months, Fiona chose to share her story with Mirror readers, where she has been a columnist for nearly two decades.

She explained her silence: “No one has known because I haven’t been blaring out loud, ‘oh yeah, I’ve got Alzheimer’s’. And I have been so worried people will judge me or put labels on me. It’s a horrible bloody secret to divulge.”

Now, as a mother to Nat, 24, and Mackenzie, 21, Fiona feels compelled to step into the limelight and confront the stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s. By sharing her experience, including her participation in clinical trials, she hopes to offer solace to others and potentially pave the way for groundbreaking treatments.

“There is still an issue with this disease that the public thinks of old people, bending over a stick, talking to themselves,” Fiona expressed. “But I’m still here, getting out and about, meeting friends for coffee, going for dinner with Martin and walking every day.”

Despite her vibrant appearance and jovial nature, there was a hint of anxiety lurking beneath her smiles – a symptom that first raised concerns about her health in the aftermath of Covid.

“It all started with Fiona feeling crippling anxiety towards the end of 2021,” Martin explained. “And I’d never had that in my life,” Fiona added.

“We thought maybe it was the menopause because all the symptoms were there; brain fog, anxiety and confusion,” Martin recalled. They sought help from a menopause specialist who prescribed HRT, but while some symptoms improved, the brain fog persisted.

“Really? ” Fiona responded, intrigued by her husband’s recollection. “I don’t recall any of that.”

This was a clear indication of how much her memory had been affected.

Fiona Phillips pictured at home in London. Photo:Philip Coburn See Alison Phillips copy

(Image: Channel 4)
The menopause specialists suggested further investigation into her memory issues, leading to months of cognitive tests and a lumbar puncture to assess spinal fluid. The diagnosis she had feared eventually came.

Fiona, Martin and I share a quiet moment in a cafe near their home in south London, where they recount the insidious way Alzheimer’s has infiltrated their marriage and family life. Due to the nature of her condition, Fiona struggles to recall certain parts of their journey.

Martin gently and patiently jogs her memory, even though at times she becomes frustrated when his recollections don’t match her own understanding. However, most of the time she laughs, eagerly holding onto the memories he brings up.

One memory that remains vivid for both is the moment the doctor announced Fiona’s diagnosis. “I just felt sick”, Martin admits.

“We both sat in silence. There was no witty remark to lighten the mood. Nothing clever to say. Nothing. And then the doctor said he’d leave us alone for a while to process it all. We just looked at each other and said: ‘S**t. What are we going to do? ” Fiona adds: “It was the shock.. Total shock. And then we said to each other.. ‘Shall we go and have a drink? ‘ So that’s what we did. In fact, we’ve now become regulars at the pub on the square by the hospital! ” Following this, Fiona and Martin were left grappling with the daunting question of What Next?

Martin recalls, “The doctor had said it was very early stages so we just had to go home and try to live our life as normal for now. That was all we could do.”

But what does ‘normal’ mean when faced with an incurable disease?

Amid the shock, there was a glimmer of hope – clinical trials for drugs that could potentially slow the progression of the disease were underway at University College Hospital (UCH) in London, and the research team was still recruiting participants. Fiona was also prescribed some existing medications used in the UK for nearly two decades to treat the disease.

However, these drugs only mask symptoms for some patients and do not halt or reverse the disease’s progress. The drugs being tested at UCH, Miridesap, are different.

If successful and approved by clinical authorities and funded – three significant ifs – these drugs could be transformative for millions by slowing or even reversing the illness. To qualify for the trial, Fiona had to undergo tests to confirm her Alzheimer’s was still in the mild stages.

She was asked questions like; which month is it, which season, subtract 7 from 100, then from 93, and 86 and so on.

Martin shared his experience: “I would be in the taxi with Fiona on the way to the tests and trying to coach her saying, Fiona.. it’s Spring, It’s March, it’s the 27th… I just so wanted her to qualify for the trials.”

Fiona described the process as stressful, stating: “The last time I did something like that was when I was at school or at a job interview and there I was suddenly thinking: ‘Oh God what if I can’t answer these questions? ” Fortunately, Fiona’s Alzheimer’s was confirmed as mild and she secured the final spot on the trial. The medication, administered three times daily with tiny needles, is one of several currently under investigation at UCLH.

Fiona joked about the process, saying: “Martin is stabbing me every night”, and “My poor stomach is full of pin marks.”

The drug is now in its third year of assessment – scientists are hopeful but continue to research potential side effects or safety concerns. With approximately half the trial participants on a placebo, it’s possible Fiona isn’t even benefitting from the new drugs herself.

Martin expressed his uncertainty, saying: “Even the people we see for the check ups don’t know if Fiona is on the real drug or a placebo”, and “It’s been weeks now and I like to think her condition is stabilising but I am too close to know really, that could just be my wishful thinking.”

“But even if it isn’t helping me, these tests will be helping other people in the future so I just have to keep going,’ adds Fiona. Worldwide more than 130 tests are currently taking place and finally it feels like a significant breakthrough on Alzheimer’s treatment is within touching distance. It may not yet be a straightforward cure but doctors are hopeful there may soon be treatments which mean people could live well with Alzheimer’s in the way people are now able to live with HIV.”