Fiona Phillips, 64, and husband Martin Frizell, 66, details worrying fears their sons Nathaniel, 26, and Mackenzie, 23, would inherit Alzheimer's after TV star's diagnosis
The former GMTV host, 64, was diagnosed with the progressive brain disorder in 2022 at the age of just 61.
When Fiona and Martin, 66, first learned of her diagnosis, they were concerned if the disease was genetic and would strike their sons.
After a genetic test, Fiona and Martin were relieved to discover their boys weren't in danger of inheriting the disease.
In the Mail's exclusive extract from her upcoming memoir Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer's, Martin shared: '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.
'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?
'But he assured me this was the case. While Fiona's chances of getting the disease had always been a lot higher, that didn't mean she would pass it on to her children.
'A few months later we told the boys what was happening. By then, she was even more withdrawn and forgetful and they knew she'd had a series of hospital appointments.
'Rather than the terrible news landing on them like a bomb, I'd gradually shared with them the sense that something was very wrong.
'When the moment came and I used the dreaded 'Alzheimer's' word, I think they were prepared for it – however awful that news was.
'They were just heartbroken for their mum, though she didn't want to make a big fuss about it all.
'She was able to dismiss it from her mind and so the conversation quickly moved on. It may sound strange, but that is how it was.'
Elsewhere in the memoir, Martin gave a heartbreaking confession on his wife's condition.
Martin emotionally admitted the family are 'slowing saying goodbye to the woman they love', who soon will be 'wiped away' by the disease.
Martin explained how he and their sons are 'enduring a living grief' as they watch the 'glittering star' deteriorate through time.
'Bit by bit, it [Alzheimer's] takes everything. Through time, even the most glamorous, glittering star – such as Fiona was – will be wiped away', he wrote.
He added: 'Sorting the bank accounts, utility direct debits, hospital appointments, clothes, washing, parking permits, shopping, cooking, tidying the house – in fact, all the stuff I took for granted because Fiona dealt with it (as well as her own career) – became my responsibilities, along with a seven-day-a-week job.
'It was knackering. There were times I felt drained, physically and emotionally.
'On top of the stress, the boys and I are enduring a kind of living grief – a slow goodbye to the woman we love.'
In the memoir, the pair - who wed in 1997 and share two children - revealed their marriage was 'falling apart' as a result of Fiona's then undiagnosed battle with the disease.
Fiona explained: 'My marriage was coming under increasing strain.
'I'm sure the disease was at least partly responsible, but at the time neither of us could see it. I just became more and more disconnected from Martin and the boys.
'"You've totally zoned out of our family and our marriage," he would say to me. "Don't be so bloody ridiculous!" I'd yell back.
'But, if I'm honest, I think he was right. I just didn't seem to have the energy for any of it any more.
'I didn't realise quite how seriously Martin felt about it all until one evening he announced he was moving out.
'"Stop being so ridiculous!'" I yelled. "I'm just worn out. I'm tired – of everything."
'"That's what you've been saying for years,'" he replied. "Maybe this – our marriage – is what's making you so tired."'
Fiona first met Martin when she was working on GMTV as a presenter and he was its chief correspondent.
He later popped the question after they had been dating for just four weeks, before they went to Las Vegas to tie the knot in 1997.
Last year, he revealed he was stepping down as editor of ITV's This Morning after 10 years in charge, in order to be 'around much more' for his wife during her Alzheimer's battle.
Having turned his back on his prolific job, in his own candid words, Martin revealed Fiona now needs 'a lot of help', with his care extending to showering Fiona, brushing her teeth, dressing her and ultimately 'making her feel as safe as possible'.
He explained: 'It is January 2025 as I write this, and Fiona needs a lot of help. She needs help showering and brushing her teeth. She can do these things physically, but is unable now to think about how she should do them...
'I wash Fiona's hair because she wouldn't know what shampoo or conditioner to use or how wet her hair needs to be or that she must rinse the soap suds out afterwards...
'And most nights I'll say, 'Right, we need to brush our teeth before we go to bed,' and I'll put the toothpaste on the brush and hand it to her...
She is still very stubborn and doesn't like brushing her teeth or feeling that she is being told what to do, so she rails against it.'
He detailed how he knows he cannot fight her protestations for fear of illness, saying: 'But this has to be the way, because the worst thing that could happen would be for her to get some kind of tooth infection when she is vulnerable.'
While Fiona can put her clothes on, she does not do so correctly - meaning Martin must also assist with this task among others.
He writes: 'She can put clothes on, but may not put them on the right way around, so she does need help dressing....
'I try to lay out clothes for her to put on in the morning, but she tends to get attached to particular items of clothing and will wear them over and over again.'
Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer's, by Fiona Phillips will be published on July 17.
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:
Severe memory loss, forgetting close family members, familiar objects or places
Becoming anxious and frustrated over inability to make sense of the world, leading to aggressive behavior
Eventually lose ability to walk
May have problems eating
The majority will eventually need 24-hour care
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Newscast Will The Plan To Keep Kids Safe Online Work?
Today, the chief executive of Ofcom, Dame Melanie Henrietta Dawes sat down with Laura to discuss the Online Safety Act. In just under two weeks time, specific child safety measures, including changes to algorithms to filter out harmful content, will be enforced for a number of different tech platforms and companies. And we find out about the latest development in the upcoming strikes from resident doctors in the NHS. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast'. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: Get in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@ or send us a whatsapp on +44 0330 123 9480. New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. It was presented by Paddy O'Connell, Laura Kuenssberg and Joe Pike. It was made by Chris Gray with and Josh Jenkins. The social producers were Sophie Milward. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Parents urged to get children vaccinated after measles death in Liverpool
Health officials have urged people to come forward for the measles vaccine if they are not up-to-date with their shots after a child at Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool died from the disease. The city has experienced a surge in cases among young people, with the hospital warning parents last week that the spike in infections was due to falling rates of uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. According to The Sunday Times, the child was ill with measles and other health problems and was receiving treatment at the Alder Hey. A statement from the Alder Hey Children's NHS trust said: 'To respect patient confidentiality, we can't comment on individual cases.' Uptake of the vaccine has fallen across the country in the past decade with rates across England now at 84%. In Liverpool, only 73% of children aged five have received the necessary two shots, while in parts of London uptake is below 65%. To ensure herd immunity, where enough people are protected to prevent the virus spreading, vaccination rates must hit 95%. 'The NHS MMR vaccine gives lifelong protection against becoming seriously unwell, so with cases of measles on the rise, it is not worth the risk of going without this vital protection,' said Chris Streather, the medical director for the NHS in London. 'Measles, mumps and rubella are preventable, but catching them is easy when people are unvaccinated, so I urge people to come forward and get the MMR vaccine sooner, rather than later,' he added. Herd immunity is particularly important to reduce the risk of vulnerable people being exposed to the virus. Children with suppressed immune systems, for example, can still fall seriously ill with measles even if they have had the vaccine. Dr Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist at the UK Health Security Agency, said measles was one of the most highly infectious diseases and spreads easily among people who are unvaccinated. 'Speaking as a doctor and a mother, I strongly encourage all parents to ensure their children have the best possible protection but also to think about protecting other more vulnerable children,' she said. 'Please act now to ensure your children are fully protected. You can check their immunisation red book or speak with the GP surgery.' Childhood vaccination programmes have been extremely effective at preventing infections and serious illness among children over the past 50 years, but falling rates of uptake have led to a rise in cases and deaths. 'It's heartbreaking because it's entirely preventable,' said Helen Bedford, a professor of children's health at University College London. 'No child needs to even catch the disease let alone be seriously affected or die.' Vaccine hesitancy is often blamed for declines in immunisation rates, but much of the problem is driven by a lack of information on the importance of vaccines, knowing which shots are due when, and difficulties in getting appointments. Last week, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said there was a 'critical need' to shift the focus from vaccine hesitancy to addressing the barriers and access issues that families face. 'A lot of this is simple. We know that reminding parents is very effective because people have busy lives and these things can often be forgotten,' Bedford said. 'It's about people not knowing what's due and when, or how to go about getting it, and every day we see stories about how difficult it is to make GP appointments. We need a multi-pronged approach and to think more creatively about how services are set up and how and where they're offered. 'Overall, the vaccine programme is so successful that people don't have experience of the disease any more,' Bedford added. 'Last year was the highest number of confirmed cases we've seen since the 1990s. Most people, most young parents, have never experienced a really sick child and it can be difficult to advise parents about a disease that they've got no conception of.'
Sky News
2 hours ago
- Sky News
Child dies as measles cases surge at Liverpool hospital
A child with measles has died at a Liverpool hospital. The individual was being treated at Alder Hey Children's Hospital after becoming ill with measles and other health problems. It comes as the NHS hospital said it is "concerned" about the increasing number of children and young people who are contracting the highly contagious virus. It said it has treated 17 cases of the effects and complications of measles since June. "We are concerned about the increasing number of children and young people who are contracting measles. Measles is a highly contagious viral illness which can cause children to be seriously unwell, requiring hospital treatment, and in rare cases, death," the hospital said in a statement to Sky News. In a separate open letter to parents and carers in Merseyside earlier this month, Alder Hey, along with the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) and directors of Public Health for Liverpool, Sefton and Knowsley, warned the increase in measles in the region could be down to fewer people getting vaccinated. The letter read: "We are seeing more cases of measles in our children and young people because fewer people are having the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles and two other viruses called mumps and rubella. "Children in hospital, who are very poorly for another reason, are at higher risk of catching the virus." What are the symptoms of measles? The first symptoms of measles include: • A high temperature • A runny or blocked nose • Sneezing • A cough • Red, sore or watery eyes Cold-like symptoms are followed a few days later by a rash, which starts on the face and behind the ears, before it spreads. The spots are usually raised and can join together to form blotchy patches which are not usually itchy. Some people may get small spots in their mouth too. What should you do if you think your child has measles? Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if you think your child has measles. If your child has been vaccinated, it is very unlikely they have measles. You should not go to the doctor without calling ahead, as measles is very infectious. If your child is diagnosed with measles by a doctor, make sure they avoid close contact with babies and anyone who is pregnant or has a weakened immune system. It comes after a Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) report released earlier this month determined that uptake of vaccines in the UK has stalled over the last decade and is, in many cases, declining. It said none of the routine childhood vaccinations have met the 95% coverage target since 2021, putting youngsters at risk of measles, meningitis and whooping cough. The MMR vaccine has been available through the NHS for years. Two doses give lifelong protection against measles, mumps and rubella. According to the latest NHS data, Liverpool was one of the cities outside London with the lowest uptake of the MMR vaccination in 2023-2024. By the time children were five years old, 86.5% had been given one dose, decreasing to 73.4% for a second dose. 'Lack of access' behind declining vaccine uptake Helen Bedford, a professor of children's health at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute, told Sky News a combination of things may be stopping parents from getting their children vaccinated. "It is mainly due to lack of access," Professor Bedford said. "People may not know when vaccines are due, how to make an appointment, then there's actually getting to the appointment. "For some parents who are suffering the impact of poverty, paying a bus fare to get your child to a GP surgery may be a step too far, even though they understand vaccination is very important." Professor Bedford added since the COVID pandemic, more parents are asking questions about vaccinations, which can lead to them searching the internet for answers. "We want parents to ask questions but unfortunately due to lack of personnel and health visitors, they can't always get answers or even an opportunity to have a discussion," she said. "That's when they turn to other sources of information, like social media or the internet, where we know there is a lot of disinformation." Professor Bedford said she was "very concerned" about the lack of vaccine uptake, but stressed the figures can be reversed. Similar concerns in US In the US, measles cases are at their highest in more than three decades. Cases reached 1,288 on Wednesday this week, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, with 14 states battling active outbreaks. The largest outbreak started five months ago in communities in West Texas, where vaccination uptake is low. Since then, three people have died - including two children in Texas and an adult in New Mexico - with dozens more in hospital.
