03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Tony Christie shares update on dementia diagnosis as he admits 'I carry on'
Good Morning Britain had the pleasure of hosting Tony Christie on Thursday (3 July). The iconic singer joined presenters Kate Garraway and Ed Balls on the ITV programme.
At 82, Tony delved into his health struggles and illustrious music career, including his upcoming final tour and his recent triumph at the 2025 O2 Silver Clef Awards, where he was honoured with the icon award.
The artist, famed for his hit Amarillo, candidly shared his experience with dementia, a diagnosis he received in January 2023.
Tony, who has been transparent about his health in past interviews, recounted to GMB viewers the events leading up to his diagnosis and how his wife, Sue, played a pivotal role in encouraging him to seek medical attention.
Tony Christie on GMB (Image: ITV)
"I think it was about three years ago. All my life, I've been a crossword fanatic. Cryptic crosswords, that was my big hobby. Suddenly, I was having problems doing them, and my wife said 'Let's go and see a doctor," Tony confided to Kate and Ed.
He elaborated: "They gave me tests and found things on my skull and all this kind of thing. They said, 'You've got the beginnings of dementia, we can put you onto tablets to stop it getting any worse'. Which they have."
Despite often forgetting about his illness, Tony made it clear that dementia won't hold him back, and he also touched on the importance of being open about living with the condition, reports the Express.
"I've just carried on and I actually just push it to one side. I forget it's there, I don't think about it. I just carry on with my life and get on with it," he declared.
Tony commented: "I've said this so many times on interviews and things, and I've been stopped in the street by people saying, 'Thank you for what you did. My wife is now not ashamed of it, she's not ashamed to come out'."
Ed Balls and Kate Garraway hosted Thursday's GMB (Image: ITV)
His upcoming tour, Tony Christie The Great Farewell, will take him and his band across the country in a musical celebration marking over six decades of his outstanding music career.
The tour began in Lichfield this January and is set to wrap up in Skegness come October.
With performances already nailed in Milton Keynes, Cannock, and Hull, Tony is gearing up for future gigs in Altrincham and Solihull in the next few months.
Catch Good Morning Britain on weekdays starting at 6 am on ITV1.
