Fiona Phillips ‘distressed' after failing to recognise her own son in heartbreaking Alzheimer's battle, reveals husband

The Sun

8 hours ago

FIONA Phillips was 'distressed' after she failed to recognise her own son amid her Alzheimer's battle.
The popular broadcaster, 64, was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's in 2022 and her condition has deteriorated since, with her even failing to recognise her son Nat.
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Fiona has two sons, Nat, 24, and Mackenzie, 21.
Her husband Martin Frizell, 66, whom she shares her boys with, has now revealed that Fiona became "distressed" when she asked who the man was who was in their kitchen
In Fiona's new book, Remember When: My life with Alzheimer's, Martin narrates part of it.
In an extract published in The Mirror Martin recalls the moment Fiona didn't recognise her eldest time.
He pens in the tome: "One weekend, Nat was home from the Army and making tea in the kitchen while Fiona and I sat watching television."
He added: "She became terribly distressed. 'Who's that man in the kitchen?' she asked me. 'That's Nat' I said gently. 'Our son. He's home for the weekend'," he explained.
Martin went on: "She was in such a state that she didn't even seem upset that she had asked the question."
He then said that Nat would have been "devastated" to hear his mother being unable to recognise him.
Meanwhile, Mail had an exclusive extract, also, where Martin writes in the book: "We did tackle one fear and talked to Fiona's consultant about whether she had inherited the illness from her parents.
"She then had a genetic test, because if she carried the gene for Alzheimer's there was a danger the boys would have it, too, which in turn might mean them thinking about IVF if they wanted children, in order to break the genetic line.
Fiona Phillips' husband Martin Frizell gives devastating update on her Alzheimer's battle as he appears on This Morning
"Thankfully, the test was negative.'
He added: "That meant she didn't carry the gene so the boys wouldn't either. But the doctor said she was clearly predisposed to Alzheimer's.
"I didn't entirely understand what he meant. How could someone be 'predisposed' to a particular disease if there wasn't something in their genetic make-up that determined it?".
Fiona, whose late mum and dad both had Alzheimer's, left GMTV in December 2008 to spend more time with her family.
She took on small jobs such as a stint on Strictly Come Dancing in 2005 and presenting a Channel 4 documentary titled Mum, Dad, Alzheimer's And Me in 2009.
But Fiona admitted she never felt 'completely right' and became 'disconnected' from her family.
She was also starting to struggle with mood swings, erratic behaviour and an inability to complete everyday tasks, such as going to the bank.
Things came to a head with Martin in 2021 and he moved out of the family home, accusing her of 'zoning out' of their marriage.
After three weeks apart, the couple met at a hotel and agreed they wanted to stay together — but that things had to change.
Fiona had initially suspected the exhaustion, anxiety and brain fog she had been battling was a side-effect of Long Covid. She contracted the virus in 2020.
But by then, Fiona was wondering if her symptoms were down to menopause.
Martin urged her to talk to telly doctor Dr Louise Newson, who specialised in the menopause and recommended a course of hormone replacement therapy.
But after several months of seeing little change, Dr Newson recommended she be properly assessed.
In 2022, a consultant broke the heartbreaking news to the couple that Fiona, then 61, had early onset Alzheimer's.
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