‘Bit by bit, Alzheimer’s takes everything’

Fiona Phillips’ devastated husband and sons have revealed they are “enduring a living grief” as they watch the once “glittering” star slowly fade away.

The much-loved TV presenter, 64, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s three years ago, when she was aged just 61.

Now, after husband Martin Frizell left his job as editor of This Morning to care for Fiona, he has revealed they are “slowly saying goodbye to the woman they love”.

Fiona Phillips’ book is released later this month (Credit: Pan MacMillan Press Release)

Martin Frizell’s ‘living grief’ over wife Fiona Phillips

In excerpts from their upcoming memoir – Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer’s – published in the Daily Mail, Martin has shared his fears of his wife Fiona Phillips soon being “wiped away” by the cruel degenerative disease.
He also explained the impact Fiona’s illness is having on her beloved sons. The couple, who married in 1997, share Nathaniel, 26, and Mackenzie, 23.“Bit by bit, it [Alzheimer’s] takes everything. Through time, even the most glamorous, glittering star – such as Fiona was – will be wiped away. On top of the stress, the boys and I are enduring a kind of living grief – a slow goodbye to the woman we love,” Martin wrote.

“After someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, they are pretty much left to their own devices. There is nothing more that can be done and you are left to cope alone. As time has passed, I have come to understand that if I were to fall ill or worse, the whole house of cards would collapse. I have had to stay well for Fiona,” he added.

Martin has given up his job to care for Fiona (Credit: Splash News)

This Morning exit

Martin said that he now takes care of the household chores, manages their finances, pays the bills, does the shopping, cooking and tidying. He explained that it’s “all the stuff he took for granted because Fiona dealt with it”.

As a result of her illness, stepping back from his full-time job was a no-brainer, he added. “It was knackering. There were times I felt drained, physically and emotionally.”

Secret ‘separation’ from Martin

In the book, Fiona also revealed the toll her disease – which was undiagnosed at the time – had on her marriage. In fact, in the book she shared that the couple split for a short time, with Martin moving out.

Fiona said she started to become “more and more disconnected from Martin and the boys”. And, with their marriage coming under increasing strain, Fiona admitted that she “didn’t seem to have the energy for any of it any more”.

She didn’t realise how bad things were, however, until Martin said he was moving out. Happily the couple missed each other and reunited.

The disease sadly runs in Fiona’s family (Credit: YouTube)

Family history of dementia

Announcing the news that she had the degenerative disease in the summer of 2023, Fiona said: “This disease has ravaged my family and now it has come for me.”

She added: “My poor mum was crippled with it. Then my dad, my grandparents, and my uncle. It just keeps coming back for us.”