Fiona Phillips ‘distressed' after failing to recognise her own son in heartbreaking Alzheimer's battle, reveals husband
DISTRESSED Fiona Phillips 'distressed' after failing to recognise her own son in heartbreaking Alzheimer's battle, reveals husband
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
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.
Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter
Sign up
6
Fiona Phillips was distressed after she failed to recognise her own son
Credit: Getty
6
She has been married to Martin Frizell since 1997
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
6
Fiona and Martin share sons Mackenzie Frizell and Nathaniel Frizell
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
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.
6
Fiona found out she had early onset Alzheimer's in 2022
Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk
6
Martin write about his wife's Alzheimer's battle in her new book
Credit: Getty
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
7 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Coronation Street launches search for new dog to join ITV soap - but there's a catch
Coronation Street bosses are on the lookout for a dog to star on the soap and have launched a nationwide talent search called Pup Idol with Strictly's Shirley Ballas on board to help Coronation Street has launched a nationwide casting search for a dog with their new competition Pup Idol. But there's a catch, as the doggies keen to become the next big soap star must meet a list of requirements to be a contender. The ITV soap has decided to look for a new canine star to appear on the cobbles, and Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas is leading the search through a campaign with This Morning. The TV star called out to viewers in a recent episode of the ITV magazine show, where she reminded hopefuls that their pooch must be well-behaved and obedient to be within a chance of securing a role on the long-running soap. She said: "We'll be looking for the best little pup in Great Britain, so I'm very excited about that and would like to see that we have some obedience. Continuing to rhyme off the list of requirements, she added: "Good behaviour - we're looking for something with [a] really good temperament. [The dog will also have to be] loving, kind, caring, well groomed and not easily distracted on TV sets, and maybe some good little tricks would be nice." Shirley will be assisted in the search by veterinarian Dr Scott Miller and Jodie Prenger - who plays Rovers barmaid Glenda Shuttleworth - and the West End star referenced some of the furry friends of Weatherfield past. Jodie, who lives on a farm with her fiance Simon Motson and once helped Andrew Lloyd Webber look for a Toto to star in The Wizard of Oz, said: "From Schmeichel to David [and] Eccles, many paws have graced these famous cobbles and they've probably cocked their legs on a few lamp posts as well. "Your furry friend could be joining that illustrious list. I am so excited to be part of the judging panel that will be putting the pups through their paces to see who will win the walk-on part in the nation's longest-running soap. "So if you think your pooch should play the part, then what are you waiting for? And who knows, you could be watching your four-legged furry friend make their television debut," she told viewers live from the Corrie set. Applications for the search can be found here, and fans must enter by July 25 to be in with a chance of getting their four-legged friend on screen. The lucky canine will be one of several pets who have featured on the programme throughout its 65-year history. Some of the more recent canine residents of Weatherfield included Evelyn Plummer's greyhound Cerebus, and the Platt family dog David, whom David Platt (Jack P Shepherd) inherited from a salon client. Prior to that, Maria Connor ( Samia Longchambon) was gifted a Labrador by her husband Liam Connor shortly before he was killed in a hit-and-run accident. Perhaps two of the more famous dogs to have resided on the cobbles include Chesney Battersby Brown's (Sam Aston) Great Dane Schmeichel, and Border Terrier Eccles, who lived with the Barlows at number one for several years. Other pets to have been included on the cobbles over the years included Yasmeen's pet chicken Charlotte Bronte, and rat Darryl, who arrived along with Craig Tinker (Colson Smith) shortly after his debut in 2011. In the early days, original Street battle axe Ena Sharples (Violet Carson) received a budgie called Archie but passed it onto her friend Martha Longhurst (Lynne Carrol), and Vera Duckworth (Liz Dawn) took a cat called Cleo to the factory to catch the mice. In the 1990s, Rovers landlady Natalie Barnes ( Denise Welch) had a cat called Tiger, and David Platt famously had a rabbit called Barney. Jack Duckworth (Bill Tarmey) was known for keeping pigeons, and his surrogate son Tyrone Dobbs ( Alan Halsall) found a stray one that he named after Beyonce.
Scottish Sun
36 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Love Island's Montana reveals HUGE fall out with rival TV star and fans are convinced they know who it is
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LOVE Island's Montana has revealed a HUGE fall out with a rival TV. Taking to TikTok, Montana Brown, 29, who shot to fame in 2017 on Love Island, brutally blasted a fellow influencer when she unleased a rant. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 6 Montana, who shot to fame in Love Island back in 2017, has unleashed a new rant Credit: TikTok / @montana 6 Montana uploaded the video on TikTok Credit: TikTok / @montana 6 Her fans were quick to speculate who she was talking about Credit: TikTok / @montana Fans have been heavily speculating over who Montana might have been talking about in the video after she shared details of how she met the girl and how their friendship progressed. Montana ranted how she had befriended a shy and anxious influencer a few years ago, before she got too "big headed" and unfollowed her on social media. "I am riled up. I have juicy gossip for you," she said in the video shared on TikTok this week. Montana then explained how her pet peeve relates to how she met someone seven or eight years ago, "was nothing but nice to them" and now they have unfollowed her. "And now they think it's okay to unfollow me? When they've been blowing up my DMs beforehand" she fumed. She then added how the person in question had been asking her to meet up as it would be "so good to catch up". Montana then went over the whole situation and said that she met "said girl at a Sport Relief or Comic Relief event". "She's doing well, but she's not got loads of followers," she added. Montana added how the girl was quite shy and anxious before they became friends. But they got chatting, would DM each other, hype each other up on social media and were friends. Heartbreaking moment Love Island star Toni's mum fights back tears in emotional video saying she's 'really really disappointed' in star "And then, I saw recently that she UNFOLLOWED ME," she fumed. "And I just thought like, who do you think you are? That's so rude." Montana then teased "even juicier dirt" when she explained what when down the last time they saw each other. Recalling how she was at the O2 Arena to see Little Mix perform, Montana was with two of her friends who she noted were not influencers. 6 Some fans think Vick Hope is the influencer Montana is speaking about in her latest video Credit: Getty 6 In 2022, Montana and Vick were seen attending a No 7 and Boots launch party Credit: Getty While in the VIP area at the gig, Montana bumped into the girl in question and asked her how she was. "Firstly, she looked a me like a piece of sh*t," she said. "And secondly, I was like 'these are my friends' and she just went [looks up and down] 'anyway, it was really nice to see you'." Montana then explained how the friends she was with her "huge fans of hers". "Some people just get it in their head that they're too amazing for anybody," she added. Montana then spoke about how Maya Jama is the complete opposite of what she described, as is Cher, Meryl Streep and Aimee-Lou Wood. Fans were quick to speculate who the girl in question Montana was describing might be. Many thought that Vick Hope might be the person Montana was referring to. "Is she now married to a dj?" asked one person "Vicki Hope isn't an influencer tho??…she's got a proper job," said someone else. A third then wrote: "Defo Vicki hope, haven't liked her since she been with Calvin Harris." While a fourth said: "Vicky Hope isn't an influencer so idk why her name is being dropped, she's always had a radio job & successful career before she met Calvin Harris." And a fifth penned: "Vicki hope?" In 2022, Montana and Vick were seen attending a No 7 and Boots launch party at The Londoner. Montana does not follow Vick on Instagram, and Vick does not follow Montana, but there is no suggestion that Vick is who Montana is speaking about. Other fans mentioned different celebrities and former reality stars.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
This Morning's Ben Shephard cuts off Janet Street Porter as she spills on Elton John bond
The Loose Women star was letting slip some details of her friendship with Sir Elton John live on This Morning when Ben Shephard had to step in and cut her off Ben Shephard had to cut Janet Street-Porter off when she was trying to tell a story about Sir Elton John live on This Morning. The broadcast legend, 78, had joined Ben, along with Cat Deeley, on Wednesday's edition of the ITV magazine show to promote her upcoming UK tour, and the hosts couldn't resist asking her about her friendship with Sir Elton John. The Loose Women star spoke about her early work in films centred around the era of punk acts in the 1970s and, to her surprise, they caught the attention of Elton and he reached out to her, although she initially thought it was all a wind-up. She explained: "I did a film for ITV, I was doing this series for young people. I did a lot of films about the emergence of punk, so I made many films with The Sex Pistols, John Lydon, about all the clothes and the fashion. "But I suppose to older musicians, my generation, Elton is my age, it must have been so astonishing to see this explode!" "Elton rang me up one day, my husband said 'Oh Elton John is on the phone', and I thought it was a joke. I went to the phone 'Yeah?' and it was Elton. He said not to hang up, he'd seen the show and said it was amazing. He said 'Please come to my house for lunch, and I want you to tell me what it's like...' The former I'm A Me Out of Here! campmate then admitted she had been a "bit of a cow" during her initial phone call with Elton, but host Ben was forced to step in to stop her talking. Warning her that there were just "five seconds left" before the weather report had to be brought in, he advised her to save the rest of that anecdote for the tour she is about to embark on, and the three of them burst into laughter as the programme cut away. But things obviously worked out okay for Janet and Elton, as they have been showbiz pals for decades, and the former newspaper editor showed her support to him when it became apparent that he was having major issues with his sight. During one of her regular appearances on Loose Women, she said: "It's very tough. He's been on the phone about it, he's called me. I think it really affected him because he suffers from glaucoma and he had one eye that was OK and another eye which is a weak eye. "I think the virus got him in the good eye so I think its left him with very very poor vision. It's impossible for him to read, and it's very very difficult. It's made him feel very isolated and he's a very proud person." Admitting Elton wouldn't have wanted to share the diagnosis, she added: "He would not have wanted to share that because he wouldn't want people to pity him. He doesn't want our sympathy, it's a battle he's got to fight himself. Nothing we can do for him but send him our love and support. When he started telling me about it, I could see how distressed he was and it really got to me. "The reason partly is because I've got glaucoma in my right eye and very very poor sight in my right eye. I could see what had happened to him and the way he sought all these different remedies and nothing has worked so far, but he's still optimistic."
