Fiona Phillips appeared joyful and carefree in a rare social media snap as her husband Martin Frizell thanked fans for asking after her.
The former GMTV star, 65, was solely 61 when she was advised she had developed the illness, a progressive, incurable mind dysfunction that causes a decline in reminiscence, considering and behavior.
In the 4 years since her prognosis, Martin has been combating for an improved authorities coverage to assist folks with Alzheimer’s and their households.
In a submit on Instagram, Martin, who give up his job at ITV in 2024 to assist care for his spouse fulltime, stated she nonetheless loved ‘easy pleasures,’ alongside a snap of her having fun with a Magnum ice cream throughout a stroll.
The producer shared he was requested about Fiona whereas travelling to Scotland whereas touring his This Much Is True Crime podcast present
He wrote: ‘Very touched by many good feedback from people asking about Fiona while I’m on our quick Tartan Noir Scottish tour so right here’s an image of what she’s as much as in my absence – she’s modified Magnum flavours!
Fiona Phillips appeared joyful and carefree in a rare social media snap as her husband Martin Frizell thanked fans for asking after her
In a submit on Instagram, Martin stated she nonetheless loved ‘easy pleasures,’ alongside a snap of her having fun with a Magnum ice cream throughout a stroll
‘This was Fiona out in the London sunshine this week and Almond has been changed by the white chocolate model. Simple pleasures however a highlight of the day.’
Many of Martin’s followers provided their well-wishes in the feedback, together with: ‘Wonderful to see Fiona out and about . You are a tremendous husband;
‘So pretty to see Fiona having fun with the sunshine, her the guide was so shifting; Lovely {photograph} of Fiona having fun with the sunshine; Aww so good to see you out and about Fiona.’
Martin just lately opened up about the ‘wretched’ results of his spouse’s ongoing battle, as he took to Lorraine to name for the authorities to do extra to discover a remedy for the illness.
He sat down with Lorraine Kelly on her self-titled present to situation an replace on how Fiona was doing after she was recognized.
Martin give up his place at ITV after 10 years in cost to be ’round way more’ for spouse Fiona in 2024 – and helped write her memoir, Remember When.
Opening up on her worsening situation, Martin stated that he had battled ‘slipping right into a melancholy’ as he cared for Fiona, and watched her ‘slip away’.
He advised Lorraine, sharing a brand new picture of Fiona, taken yesterday (February 10): ‘She would not bear in mind Valentine’s Day, she would not bear in mind Christmas now, she would not bear in mind New Year’s.
‘It’s wretched… not simply for her however for the household as nicely.
‘She’s nonetheless there, however day-to-day, we are able to see it slipping away – and simply to take a seat there and see this one that was, as you recognize was the most dynamic, bubbly, and had a lot satisfaction in how she dressed and what she did – it is only a loss of dignity…
‘People do ask, “Are you okay?” and I used to say, “It’s not me, don’t worry about me”, however I’m acutely aware that I’ve by no means been a depressive individual however I can slip into that.
‘My respite is figure, I’ve gone again to broadcasting, and podcasting… however I nonetheless really feel responsible, I really feel responsible being right here [away from Fiona].’
Martin went on to disclose the methods he might see Fiona combating her worsening situation, praising her for being a ‘cussed lady’.
‘I do not need to give the impression she’s some kind of basket case as she’s very a lot with us, she nonetheless is the worlds’ most cussed lady, and she or he’s nonetheless round the home,’ the broadcaster continued.
‘We play her loads of Rod Stewart, when she was a reporter she interviewed him they usually turned mates, he known as her Doris – and I believe she’s a contender for Rochelle and Marvin Humes’ The Hit List as a result of she will do all the tunes.’
Martin hit out at the authorities for not doing extra to discover a remedy for the illness – and hit out at Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting.
The former GMTV star was solely 61 when she was advised she had developed the illness, a progressive, incurable mind dysfunction (pictured with Martin in 2016)
Everyone experiences dementia in another way. Use this guidelines that will help you make a remark of your signs earlier than you speak to your GP.
He famous that since Fiona’s guide was printed in July 2025, he had not seen ‘anybody talking’ about Alzheimer’s.
He hit out: ‘Since I final spoke about her guide, no one has spoken about Alzheimer’s. Wes Streeting – the place is he on this? There’s been nothing.
‘One of the first issues Wes Streeting did when he got here in was, there have been targets for diagnosing Alzheimer’s – however he cancelled these.
‘All the charities and all the specialists are saying, “why have you done that?” Cancer will get generally as a lot as ten instances as a lot funding as Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
‘[I wish she had been diagnosed with cancer] as a result of there’s medicine [to help]. When she was first recognized she was placed on the similar [medicine] as her mum 20 years in the past.
‘There’s new American medicine however they will not pay for it resulting from “cost benefit analysis”.’
There have been some ‘pretty’ messages from celebrities that Fiona and Martin knew via work.
‘Out of the blue I obtained a message for Fiona… from Kate McCann [the mother of Madeleine McCann, who was abducted in Portugal in 2007].
‘She remembered that she was a heat, bubbly and succesful woman. Kate was certain these attributes should have stood Fiona in good stead.
‘I did not realise till I learn the letter that Kate McCann, herself a physician, had spent nearly ten years in [NHS] Memory Services, largely drawn to it as a result of of her dad, who additionally had dementia.’
When Martin learn Fiona the ‘very lengthy letter’ Kate had written, she remembered Madeleine and her eyes welled up.
For a second, the Alzheimer’s fog lifted and she or he was again as the GMTV presenter and sympathetic mum. She’d met the McCanns a number of instances and was the first to announce Madeleine’s disappearance on GMTV.
Then the clouds got here again and the reminiscence went away as shortly as it had surfaced. The previous Fiona who’d appeared for a second was gone.
This admission comes after Martin revealed the one factor you should not say to somebody with dementia after GMB star was recognized with Alzheimer’s Disease.
In one of the ultimate chapters of the guide, Martin shared the largest studying he has gleaned from his spouse’s sickness, and it is recommendation that anybody with a cherished one struggling with a degenerative mind situation can profit from.
He wrote: ‘The specialists say you are not speculated to problem somebody with Alzheimer’s once they’re saying issues that are fully improper, however it’s very tough while you are in that second and also you are simply desperately hoping you would possibly be capable of get via to them.
‘What am I speculated to say when she says: “You’re not my husband!”?
‘Obviously it is not good—however I do not really feel damage by it as a result of I do know that is not Fiona speaking: it is the sickness that has taken her thoughts.’
Martin continued that the most essential factor to do when concerned in a back-and-forth with a dementia affected person is to not say ‘no’.
He believes that it is best to maintain up rapport — even when it is uncomfortable — to remain related.
He stated: ‘The textbooks say to by no means argue with a dementia affected person.
‘Although, even earlier than the sickness you could possibly by no means win an argument with Fiona, so we play alongside,’ he continued.
The couple stay with their two sons, Nathaniel, 26 and Mackenzie, 23, who additionally should entertain their mom’s terrifying delusions – one of which required Martin to faux that he has smuggled his spouse away from her mother and father.
He advised This Morning: ‘Fiona and I go away as if I’m taking her house.
‘We stroll round the block as she loudly proclaims, “I’ll never forgive you for tricking me,” and passers-by stare; then we are again house once more, the place she goes in and greets Mackenzie as if she hasn’t seen him for days.’
Despite seeing the prognosis coming as his spouse turned more and more withdrawn and anxious, Martin stated when it lastly got here it was ‘terrible’.
‘You realise that there are round 70,000 individuals who have early-onset Alzheimer’s and there’s not loads of assist on the market,’ he added.
‘As a household we are simply type of left to get via it and sooner or later we’ll want extra assist however there’s simply nothing actually.
‘You turn out to be type of invisible’, he advised the Telegraph in a current interview.
‘If you point out the phrase Alzheimer’s or dementia, it brings it to the entrance and it is upsetting as a result of she is aware of the means it is going,’ he additionally wrote in the guide.
