Martin Frizell, husband of former GMTV presenter Fiona Phillips, has given a heartbreaking update on her battle with early-onset Alzheimer's. Phillips, 61, was diagnosed in early 2022 and has since experienced significant memory loss. Frizell appeared on ITV's Lorraine, sharing a new photo of his wife at home and revealing that she no longer remembers recent events like Christmas or New Year.
Frizell described Phillips as 'still very much with us' and 'the world's most stubborn woman,' but admitted the condition has taken a toll. He struggles with guilt when away from her, having not spent more than three days apart in two years. 'I feel guilty being here and not with her,' he said, adding that the situation is 'wretched' for the whole family.
The former This Morning editor also spoke about the challenges of daily life, noting that simple tasks like leaving the house have become difficult. Phillips often repeats questions and does not understand where she is going, leading to stressful journeys. Frizell previously said she sometimes does not recognise him as her husband and has experienced delusions, such as wanting to go home to her deceased parents.
Frizell has turned to broadcasting and podcasting to cope, but confessed he finds it hard to be away. He also wrote a book about their journey, originally intended as a few paragraphs but expanding to 24,000 words. In it, Phillips heartbreakingly described her fading memories: 'It's like I reach out to touch them but then just as I am about to grasp it, the memory skips away from me.'
Phillips, a well-known face on GMTV from 1993 to 2008 and a long-time Mirror columnist, was last seen in public at the funeral of Derek Draper. Alzheimer's is a progressive condition with no cure, though some medications can temporarily improve symptoms.
