Fiona Phillips' husband Martin talks her 'biggest frustration' with Alzheimer's
The former ITV presenter, 64, and her husband Martin (ex-editor of ITV's This Morning) have been candid about what Phillips' life looks like navigating the early-onset neurodegenerative disease.
An experience account of what the couple has been through over the past three years is recorded in the GMTV star's new memoir, Remember When: My Life with Alzheimer's, which includes Frizell's confession that cancer would have been easier to deal with.
He also explained that they have secretly hired a carer to support Phillips, who is now struggling with daily tasks including dressing, bathing and cooking.
Now, in a new discussion on ITV's daytime talk show Loose Women, co-panelist Jane Moore asked Frizell how Phillips is right now.
Frizell started positively, saying that the 'good news' was that her 'mood had improved' and she had a 'better appetite' due to a new antidepressant she is on. https://www.instagram.com/p/DMQOcZKoJ29/
It has meant she is in a 'much better place now than she was a few weeks ago'
However, he continued: 'Fiona's main problem with her Alzheimer's right now is her frustration.
'She's someone who has worked from the age of 11, at a paper round. Didn't stop working till a couple of years ago when the Alzheimer's made it difficult to do so.
Early-onset Alzheimer's is also known as young-onset dementia or younger-onset Alzheimer's. It is the label given to anyone who receives a diagnosis before they turn 65.
According to Alzheimer's Research UK, an estimated 70,800 people with dementia in the UK have young onset, and Alzheimer's disease accounts for around one in three cases of young onset dementia.
It is thought at least five in every 100 people with Alzheimer's are under 65, however the figure may be higher.
According to the NHS, the symptoms of Alzheimer's can begin with usually minor memory problems, but can develop into: confusion, disorientation and getting lost in familiar places
difficulty planning or making decisions
problems with speech and language
problems moving around without assistance or performing self-care tasks
personality changes, such as becoming aggressive, demanding and suspicious of others
hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there) and delusions (believing things that are untrue)
low mood or anxiety
'She'll watch telly and she'll get frustrated that she's not working. She'll get anxious or frightened thinking about it.
'This was a fearless women. She spent decades doing this. Seeing her now in that anxious phase is horrible. The whole of Alzheimer's is horrible, as such.'
In a recent Instagram post, shown above, he shared a video of Phillips out for a walk holding a magnum ice cream as she thanked people for reading her book.
People shared their well-wishes at the time.
'Sending Fiona so much love. She really looked out for me in my GMTV days, my telly mum and I will never forget how she comforted me when I was going through a tough time in my relationship,' Anna Williamson wrote.
'ending you lots of love, Fiona. You were so kind to me when you came up to my house in Norfolk to do my first interview after I was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2008. More than just a colleague… A truly kind, talented and beautiful person!' Trisha Goddard echoed.
During an interview with the Telegraph, her husband, 66, also recalled the 'gut-wrenching' moment they discovered Phillips' diagnosis.
He said: 'We went to [the hospital] to get the results of tests, and the consultant said: 'I'm sorry, but I believe it's Alzheimer's.' And it's like, oh. Gulp. Then he said, 'I'll go and get you a cup of tea, here's some reading for you.'
'He pushed a leaflet across the table and on the front cover was an old couple, with a Zimmer frame, basically saying: 'How to live well with Alzheimer's.' It just doesn't relate to you.'
Before adding: 'It shouldn't be happening to someone as young as Fiona. It was utterly gut-wrenching. Sickening. We just looked at each other. S**t! What are we going to do now?' More Trending
The couple have been married for 28 years and share two sons, Nat, 26, and Mackenzie, 23, who underwent genetic testing to confirm that the disease wasn't hereditary, with the blood tests 'coming back negative'.
Fiona's parents both died after being diagnosed from the disease.
In her memoir, Phillips explained how 'agonisingly difficult' she is finding life now.
View More »
'Sometimes I get halfway through a sentence and I can't remember where I was heading with it or the word I was looking for. It feels awful,' she said, comparing her condition to 'trying to chase a £5 note that's fallen out of your purse on a gusty day'.
Got a story?
If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
9 hours ago
- Metro
Fiona Phillips' husband Martin talks her 'biggest frustration' with Alzheimer's
Martin Frizell has shared his wife Fiona Phillips' biggest uphill battle following her Alzheimer's diagnosis in 2022. The former ITV presenter, 64, and her husband Martin (ex-editor of ITV's This Morning) have been candid about what Phillips' life looks like navigating the early-onset neurodegenerative disease. An experience account of what the couple has been through over the past three years is recorded in the GMTV star's new memoir, Remember When: My Life with Alzheimer's, which includes Frizell's confession that cancer would have been easier to deal with. He also explained that they have secretly hired a carer to support Phillips, who is now struggling with daily tasks including dressing, bathing and cooking. Now, in a new discussion on ITV's daytime talk show Loose Women, co-panelist Jane Moore asked Frizell how Phillips is right now. Frizell started positively, saying that the 'good news' was that her 'mood had improved' and she had a 'better appetite' due to a new antidepressant she is on. It has meant she is in a 'much better place now than she was a few weeks ago' However, he continued: 'Fiona's main problem with her Alzheimer's right now is her frustration. 'She's someone who has worked from the age of 11, at a paper round. Didn't stop working till a couple of years ago when the Alzheimer's made it difficult to do so. Early-onset Alzheimer's is also known as young-onset dementia or younger-onset Alzheimer's. It is the label given to anyone who receives a diagnosis before they turn 65. According to Alzheimer's Research UK, an estimated 70,800 people with dementia in the UK have young onset, and Alzheimer's disease accounts for around one in three cases of young onset dementia. It is thought at least five in every 100 people with Alzheimer's are under 65, however the figure may be higher. According to the NHS, the symptoms of Alzheimer's can begin with usually minor memory problems, but can develop into: confusion, disorientation and getting lost in familiar places difficulty planning or making decisions problems with speech and language problems moving around without assistance or performing self-care tasks personality changes, such as becoming aggressive, demanding and suspicious of others hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there) and delusions (believing things that are untrue) low mood or anxiety 'She'll watch telly and she'll get frustrated that she's not working. She'll get anxious or frightened thinking about it. 'This was a fearless women. She spent decades doing this. Seeing her now in that anxious phase is horrible. The whole of Alzheimer's is horrible, as such.' In a recent Instagram post, shown above, he shared a video of Phillips out for a walk holding a magnum ice cream as she thanked people for reading her book. People shared their well-wishes at the time. 'Sending Fiona so much love. She really looked out for me in my GMTV days, my telly mum and I will never forget how she comforted me when I was going through a tough time in my relationship,' Anna Williamson wrote. 'ending you lots of love, Fiona. You were so kind to me when you came up to my house in Norfolk to do my first interview after I was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2008. More than just a colleague… A truly kind, talented and beautiful person!' Trisha Goddard echoed. During an interview with the Telegraph, her husband, 66, also recalled the 'gut-wrenching' moment they discovered Phillips' diagnosis. He said: 'We went to [the hospital] to get the results of tests, and the consultant said: 'I'm sorry, but I believe it's Alzheimer's.' And it's like, oh. Gulp. Then he said, 'I'll go and get you a cup of tea, here's some reading for you.' 'He pushed a leaflet across the table and on the front cover was an old couple, with a Zimmer frame, basically saying: 'How to live well with Alzheimer's.' It just doesn't relate to you.' Before adding: 'It shouldn't be happening to someone as young as Fiona. It was utterly gut-wrenching. Sickening. We just looked at each other. S**t! What are we going to do now?' More Trending The couple have been married for 28 years and share two sons, Nat, 26, and Mackenzie, 23, who underwent genetic testing to confirm that the disease wasn't hereditary, with the blood tests 'coming back negative'. Fiona's parents both died after being diagnosed from the disease. In her memoir, Phillips explained how 'agonisingly difficult' she is finding life now. View More » 'Sometimes I get halfway through a sentence and I can't remember where I was heading with it or the word I was looking for. It feels awful,' she said, comparing her condition to 'trying to chase a £5 note that's fallen out of your purse on a gusty day'. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
Daily Mail
12 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Fiona Phillips' husband Martin Frizell shares heartbreaking update on her Alzheimer's battle - admitting new hurdle has left her 'anxious, frustrated and frightened'
Fiona Phillips' husband Martin Frizell shared a heartbreaking update on her Alzheimer's battle during Monday's instalment of the Loose Women. Martin, 66, spoke to Jane Moore, 63, Kelly Brook, 45, Janet Street-Porter, 78, and Brenda Edwards, 56, about how his wife is doing after being diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease, aged 61, in 2022. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain, in which build-up of abnormal proteins causes nerve cells to die. Jane asked him: 'How is Jane right now?' Martin said: 'Well the good news is, there is some improvement in terms her mood, not so much in terms of Alzheimer's, but in term of just being able to get better sleep. 'Also having a better appetite, I think less confusion. That's sort of an anti-depressant she's been given. 'This one works, as you know, you have to go through quite a few before you get one that actually hits the spot. 'So this is really helping. If anything, she's actually in a much better place than she was a few weeks ago.' There is one thing in particular that Fiona is struggling with the most. Martin explained: 'Fiona's main problem with her Alzheimer's right now is her frustration. 'She's someone who has worked from the age of 11, at a paper round. Didn't stop working till a couple of years ago wen the Alzheimer's made it difficult to do so. 'She'll watch telly and she'll get frustrated that she's not working. She'll get anxious or frightened thinking about it. 'This was a fearless women. She spent decades doing this. Seeing her now in that anxious phase is horrible. 'The whole of Alzheimer's is horrible, as such.' Fiona was seen smiling and soaked up the sunshine in a lovely new video her husband Martin Frizell shared on Instagram last month It comes after a smiling Fiona thanked fans for their love and support in a lovely new video her husband Martin Frizell shared on Instagram late last month. In the clip, Fiona praised fans for their support on her new memoir, Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer's, as she enjoyed an ice cream while on a walk in London. She said: 'Hello, thank you for reading my new book! 'Really good of you, hope you like it. Okay, bye.' Martin captioned the post: '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.' In her candid new memoir, which published on last month, Martin shared how the couple struggled in the years leading up to her diagnosis. Speaking about the difficult period that began around 2015, Martin recalled: 'Nothing I could say seemed to help. He continued: 'And I guess like in any relationship, the whole thing spirals. Because I felt she was being moody and critical of everything I said and did, I shut down too. 'We were barely talking and while we were still in the same house we were living quite separate lives. 'If we were both at home in the evenings, there would be long silences. After years of being able to chat about anything and everything, we'd run out of things to talk about. 'The long silences can't have been enjoyable for her either, but that was where we had got to.' Fiona and Martin have been married since 2006. They share two sons Mackenzie, 21, and Nathaniel, 24. Loose Women airs weekdays from 12:30pm on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX. What is Alzheimer's? Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain, in which build-up of abnormal proteins causes nerve cells to die. This disrupts the transmitters that carry messages, and causes the brain to shrink. More than 5 million people suffer from the disease in the US, where it is the 6th leading cause of death, and more than 1 million Britons have it. WHAT HAPPENS? As brain cells die, the functions they provide are lost. That includes memory, orientation and the ability to think and reason. The progress of the disease is slow and gradual. On average, patients live five to seven years after diagnosis, but some may live for ten to 15 years. EARLY SYMPTOMS: Loss of short-term memory Disorientation Behavioral changes Mood swings Difficulties dealing with money or making a phone call LATER SYMPTOMS:
Wales Online
13 hours ago
- Wales Online
Fiona Phillips' husband says 'we're getting through' in new health update
Fiona Phillips' husband says 'we're getting through' in new health update Martin Frizell appeared on Loose Women on Monday to discuss his wife Fiona Phillips' Alzheimer's battle, and gave an update on her condition Martin Frizell on Loose Women (Image: ITV) Martin Frizell appeared on the Loose Women panel on Monday (4 August) to discuss his wife Fiona Phillips' battle with Alzheimer's, providing a fresh update on her health. The former This Morning editor joined Jane Moore, Janet Street-Porter, Kelly Brook, and Brenda Edwards on the ITV daytime programme, where he also discussed his and Fiona's sons and her book Remember When: My Life with Alzheimer's. Martin shared how he manages things at home, revealing that his sons, Mackenzie and Nathaniel, have been helping him care for Fiona, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2022. "They're great. It's almost like a tag team, we work and help out," he informed the panel. "I do mornings because they still sleep, and then I'll probably do dinner. But no, we're getting through. For the time being, we don't need much more help." Martin issued an emotional update on the ITV show (Image: ITV) He confessed that he had sought assistance from a carer in the past, but Fiona wasn't happy about the extra help, reports the Express. "We did have someone in to help in the past, and we pretended it was a housekeeper to get her through, but Fiona saw through that. But, we're getting through. Just like a lot of families. Thank you to everyone who has sent messages," he added. The Loose Women panel asked Martin what Fiona, renowned for hosting shows such as GMTV, would advise someone else suffering from Alzheimer's. He responded: "She would say, 'Don't give up'. She would say, because she hasn't got one, 'get yourself a hobby or a passion' so that when you get to this stage, there are things that you can actually involve yourself with." Martin also spoke about his wife's current condition, sharing that she is in a "much better place" than before and that he has observed some "improvement" in her condition recently. He remarked that her sleep had improved and her appetite had returned, while her confusion seemed to have lessened. Martin is married to broadcaster Fiona Phillips (Image: Getty) "That's the sort of anti-depressant she's been given, and this one works, as you have to go through a few before you get one that actually hits the spot. So, this is really helping. If anything, I think she's actually in a much better place than she was a few weeks ago," he expressed optimistically to the panel. Fiona received an Alzheimer's disease diagnosis in 2022 at 61 years old but chose not to disclose it publicly until the subsequent year. Following her diagnosis, she began to step back from public appearances, and her husband, Martin, announced his departure from This Morning in November 2024, which led to his official exit in February. Article continues below Loose Women is broadcast on weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV1.
