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Fiona Phillips opens up about Alzheimer's effects: 'I am just carrying on as much as I can'

The broadcaster revealed she had been diagnosed with the disease earlier in the year

Sam Moore
·2-min read
Fiona Phillips poses for photographers upon arrival at the screening of the film 'He Named Me Malala' in London, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2015. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)
Fiona Phillips has spoken about living with Alzheimer's. (Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP) (Vianney Le Caer, Associated Press)

Fiona Phillips has opened up about living with Alzheimer's disease after she publicly revealed in July that she was suffering from the condition.

The 62-year-old former GMTV presenter has now spoken in greater detail about her symptoms of the disease and how it is something that runs in her family.

Speaking to The Mirror, Phillips said: "I am just carrying on as much as I can. It’s when I talk about it that I can’t quite believe I’m talking about myself – I’m used to talking about it in relation to my mum and my dad having it… my whole family have been slaughtered by it."

Television presenter Fiona Phillips introduces Labour Party leader Ed Miliband during a shadow cabinet public consultation event at the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham. (Photo by Geoff Kirby/PA Images via Getty Images)
Fiona Phillips has detailed the effects of Alzheimer's disease. (PA Images via Getty Images) (Geoff Kirby - PA Images via Getty Images)

Phillips also spoke about the ways in which the disease has affected her – mainly memory loss – where she "kept having moment" where she forgot words.

She added: "It doesn’t happen all the time… just occasionally. And that’s just not me at all.

"I can normally talk until next Christmas. It is just weird when it happens because I’m thinking, 'why has my mouth stopped and I’m still thinking about the sentence'. It’s really weird."

Phillips was initially diagnosed after going to the doctor following months of brain fog and anxiety, and is currently a participant in a trial to find a cure for the disease.

PA NEWS 24/9/98 GMTV PRESENTER FIONA PHILLIPS AT THE LONDON TOY AND MODEL MUSEUM, WHERE SHE PRESENTED BILL AND SLYVIA HEMINGWAY WITH THEIR PRIZE FOR BECOMING THE AGE CONCERN GRANDPARENTS OF THE YEAR. (Photo by Michael Crabtree - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)
Fiona Phillips used to present GMTV. (Getty Images) (Michael Crabtree - PA Images via Getty Images)

As part of the trial, Phillips is injected three times a day by her husband who is her primary carer. Phillips is married to Martin Frizell who is the current editor of This Morning and has overseen the show's controversial year with the departure of Phillip Schofield.

Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease that progressively worsens and is the main cause of dementia. Its most common early symptoms are difficulty in remembering recent events which often progress to disorientation, language problems, mood swings and behaviour issues. It is not known what causes Alzheimer's.

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