Fiona Phillips seen for first time in a year as she addresses Alzheimer's battle
Former breakfast TV presenter Fiona Phillips has been photographed for the first time in over a year as she speaks out about her Alzheimer's diagnosis ahead of her book release
Fiona Phillips has been photographed for the first time in over a year after taking a step away from the spotlight. The former breakfast TV presenter, 64, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2022 and shared her diagnosis with the public a year later.
She is now set to open up on her health and life since the diagnosis in her new book, Remember When: My life with Alzheimer's. Fiona has been receiving the support of her husband Martin Frizell, who recently stepped down as his role of This Morning boss to spend more time with their family.
Martin has helped her write the book, which will be released in July. Fiona was last photographed in public at Kate Garraway's late husband Derek Draper's funeral in 2024.
To mark the upcoming release of her book, Fiona beamed in a new photo. She is also set to open up on her gradual loss of memory and confusion while discussing the early warning signs.
Martin, who has been married to Fiona for 26 years, stepped down from his ITV position in February to take care of Fiona and has also shared his experience in the book.
According to the NHS, 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 and it can affect memory, thinking skills and other mental abilities.
The exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is not yet fully understood. Speaking about the new book earlier this year, Fiona said: "I hope this book can show people a little about what it is like to live with Alzheimer's.
"How frightening and confusing it is. But also how much life can still bring joy and be valued. And if you or someone you love is in the early stages of Alzheimer's, I hope this book brings you some comfort. I want you to know, you are not alone."
Fiona announced in 2023 that she had been diagnosed with early onset dementia, after initially thinking she was having menopause symptoms when she first started experiencing "brain fog and anxiety".
She already had first hand experience of Alzheimer's having cared for her parents after both of them were also diagnosed with the condition.
The TV star has made two documentaries on the condition in 2009's Mum, Dad, Alzheimer's And Me, about her family's history of dementia, and My Family And Alzheimer's (2010).
Fiona quit TV in 2018 after she started to suffer from anxiety, having presented GMTV from 1993 to 2008, before going on to head up a number of documentaries and episodes of Panorama. She was also one of the Mirror's longest-serving columnists.
Her husband Martin announced in November he was stepping down from his role as editor of ITV's This Morning after more than a decade.
He said: 'Next year I'm expecting my family priorities to change, so I need to free up time for them. I love my team at ITV and will miss them, and the thrill of live telly, but it's an always on, 24 hours a day, seven days a week commitment, and I won't be able to do both.'
When speaking out about her condition, Fiona previously said she has three daily injections as part of drug trials at University College Hospital in London.
She said: 'I've always spoken out about Alzheimer's whether through a book, a documentary or lobbying prime ministers and now that it's turned up on my doorstep I'm not for stopping. It's devastated my family and it's the biggest health and social care challenge we face as a country."
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