Ulrika Jonsson feared she was suffering from Alzheimer's Disease

Ulrika Jonsson thought she had Alzheimer’s Disease after she recently began to lose her memory.

Ulrika Johnson British Comedy Awards held at the Fountain Studios – Arrivals. London, England – 16.12.11 Credit: (Mandatory): WENN.com
Ulrika Johnson British Comedy Awards held at the Fountain Studios – Arrivals. London, England – 16.12.11 Credit: (Mandatory): WENN.com

The 50-year-old TV star was convinced she had the early signs of the horrifying neurological illness, which affects multiple brain functions, but she was relieved to find out her forgetfulness was down to menopause.

Speaking on ‘Lorraine’ on Friday (Oct 6), she said: “Depression has been a regular-ish feature of my life.

“I felt like I was going into a very dark episode and I had no warning of it beforehand, there was nothing that would have given me any signs towards it. And then came the most unimaginable anxiety that I’ve not known before, like proper panic…

Ulrika Johnson British Comedy Awards held at the Fountain Studios – Arrivals. London, England – 16.12.11 Credit: (Mandatory): WENN.com
Ulrika Johnson British Comedy Awards held at the Fountain Studios – Arrivals. London, England – 16.12.11 Credit: (Mandatory): WENN.com

“That was really scary, being mid-sentence and forgetting the noun or the word was awful. I actually took my friend aside and I said to her that I was really worried that I could be getting early onset Alzheimer’s and she said ‘Oh no love, that’s just the menopause’ … You just think it’s an ageing thing, you go off sex, you put on weight, you think I’m uglier…at least that’s how you feel.”

However, Ulrika has admitted her husband Brian Monet has been “very understanding” about her change and has been really supportive towards her.

She added: “My husband is very understanding, very patient, and I think there were moments where he would just look at me as if to go: ‘Woah.’ Like, ‘Where did that come from?’ and then I’d go: ‘I’m going through some big changes.’ And I told my kids about it too so they’d know why I was acting a bit strange.”