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Fiona Phillips asked husband same question 72 times on drive in tragic health update

Fiona Phillips received her devastating Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2022 and now husband Martin Frizell (former This Morning editor) has shared a heartbreaking update on her condition

Martin Frizell and Fiona Phillips ad the Pride of Britain Awards in 2016(Image: Getty Images Europe)

Former This Morning editor Martin Frizell has shared a heartbreaking update on his wife Fiona Phillips.

Fiona was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2022 – at the age of 61. Sadly, her condition has now worsened to the point where she fails to recognise family members, like her son, and

Martin, who now cares for his wife, has now revealed that Fiona asked where they were going 72 times on a car journey as she had became disorientated. Martin was taking the former GMTV Today presenter to hospital and she didn’t know where she was.

He told Newsnight’s Victoria Derbyshire: “I used to say good days and bad days, now I just say bad days or wretched days, I think wretched is a great word for it.” Discussing the taxi ride, he added: “In the cab ride, she asked me, ‘Where are we going’ 72 times.”

Fiona was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2022 and her condition has worsened(Image: Getty Images)

Fiona had to see doctors about an unexplained pain that may or may not be related to her condition. Martin went on: “She’s got a secondary pain. We don’t know where the pain’s coming from. We don’t know if it’s physiological.

“I couldn’t drive her because she panics, and it’s bad enough just driving with that too. I wouldn’t take her on public transport because I’m frightened.”

Martin said she kept repeating the same four words as she didn’t understand why she was there: “I’d say, ‘We’re going to see the doctor and hopefully he’ll take the pain away,’ and then, literally 15 seconds later, [she’d say] ‘Where are we going?'”

Martin says Fiona gets confused and fails to recognise her family members(Image: Press Association)

He explained Fiona still looks like she did when she was presenting on TV, so members of the public may approach her, leading to confusion and distress.

In a particularly tragic admission, Martin confessed that he would have preferred it if his wife had been diagnosed with cancer instead of Alzheimer’s. “My mum died from [cancer],” he said, “My father had cancer, so I know what cancer can do.

“But I don’t think Fiona is ever going to be able to taste a glass of wine again, walk on a beach properly again, go on holiday again, go to the theatre, go to the cinema, drive her car, or cook a meal for her children.”

Martin and Fiona in 1998(Image: Press Association)

He added: “My worry is that on her deathbed, whenever that may come, and hopefully it’s a long time from now, will she even know who we are?”

With cancer, Martin said, there is always a chance that the patient can go into remission, or at least be slowed down. But there is no such hope when it comes to Alzheimer’s disease.

Fiona stepped down from fronting ITV’s flagship Breakfast show GMTV Today in August 2008. Martin shared a clip of her last words on the show, saying: “It’s been such a privilege sharing my mornings with you, and I won’t forget you.”

This week sees the publication of Fiona’s memoir, Remember When: My Life with Alzheimer’s, which is co-written by Martin and journalist Alison Phillips. The book follows the advancement of her condition – which has brought on symptoms such as memory loss, impaired speech, and difficulty with everyday tasks – it also highlights the challenges faced by those with early-onset dementia and their carers.

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk


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