Fiona Phillips' Alzheimer's Battle: Husband Martin Reveals Heartbreaking Daily Struggle
On a cold, rainy winter's day in London, former GMTV host Fiona Phillips, now 65 and in the advanced stages of early-onset Alzheimer's disease, sits huddled in a taxi with her husband of 28 years, Martin Frizell. They are traveling to see yet another specialist, hoping for answers to the excruciating pain that has plagued Fiona for months without diagnosis.
"There's no way I could drive or we could take public transport," Martin recalls of their frequent medical journeys. "Fiona now rarely understands where she is going or why, constantly asking what is happening, probably four or five times a minute on loop for the entire journey."
The Agony of Undiagnosed Pain
The couple's search for medical answers has been fraught with frustration. Despite numerous scans and procedures, consultants failed to identify the source of Fiona's constant pain. "Honestly, I got close to telling the taxi driver to turn around and take us home," Martin admits, describing the unbearable stress of these journeys.
Eventually, a neuropsychiatrist provided insight, explaining that Alzheimer's-induced anxiety could trigger major memory episodes where Fiona's stressed brain sought comfort in past events. Unfortunately, her most recent significant memory involved excruciating pain from a previous operation.
Life with Advanced Alzheimer's
Martin speaks candidly in an interview coinciding with his update to Fiona's book, Remember When, originally serialized in the Daily Mail. He reveals her condition has deteriorated since the book's initial publication, reaching what he describes as a sort of plateau.
In haunting detail, Fiona herself wrote in the original book about her mind slipping away: "Everywhere I look there are 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. Like trying to chase a £5 note on a gusty day."
The Daily Reality of Care
Martin's contributions to the book paint a devastating picture of daily life since Fiona's 2022 diagnosis. His morning routine involves administering antidepressants, making tea, and repeatedly explaining basic concepts. "Anyone who thinks they could endlessly explain the same thing over and over again just needs to try it," he says of the exhausting repetition.
The emotional toll includes moments of doubt that Martin acknowledges: "At times I have to stop myself from thinking, 'Is this attention-seeking?' A terrible, selfish thought, but I'm told it's an understandable reaction in someone caring for an Alzheimer's victim."
Moments of Lucidity and Connection
Despite the challenges, there are precious moments of connection. Martin describes a simple walk to their local Londis shop where an ice cream provided temporary relief from Fiona's anxiety. During this brief respite, they managed a fairly lucid conversation about her book's reception.
In a particularly poignant moment, Martin recorded a nine-second video of Fiona thanking readers. The clip went viral, receiving 3.6 million views on Instagram and thousands of comments from others affected by dementia. "It suggests a silent epidemic of an untreatable disease that feels like it has touched almost every family in the UK," Martin observes.
The Wider Impact and Lack of Support
Martin believes millions in Britain face similar "wretched lives" due to Alzheimer's, with many caregivers at their wits' end. He left his ITV career to care for Fiona full-time, describing the transition as "the brick wall of losing a career you loved to care for a family member with dementia."
The isolation proves particularly challenging: "It's the isolation that gets you, because it's a lonely life, this Alzheimer's game," he writes in the book's new chapter.
Messages of Solidarity
The book has generated thousands of supportive messages, including one from Kate McCann, who spent nearly a decade in NHS Memory Services due to her father's dementia. When Martin read McCann's letter to Fiona, she momentarily remembered Madeleine McCann's disappearance, which she had announced on GMTV.
"For a moment, the Alzheimer's fog lifted and she was back as the GMTV presenter and sympathetic mum," Martin recalls. "Then the clouds came back and the memory went away as quickly as it had surfaced."
Coping with the Unpredictable
Martin manages the emotional rollercoaster through small respites—an hour out for coffee or a day on a boat—though he constantly worries about Fiona's wellbeing. He has found some distraction through new work producing true-crime and political podcasts, though Fiona remains unaware of this career shift.
As primary caregiver, Martin handles intimate daily tasks like washing Fiona's hair and helping her brush teeth. "How long can we keep and care for my beautiful wife at home?" remains his constant, haunting question.
Remembering the Person Behind the Disease
One reason for updating the book, Martin explains, is to ensure people remember Fiona as she was—the glamorous, bubbly television personality who loved fashion and never left home without looking fabulous. He refuses to provide current photographs, wanting to preserve her former image.
Today, Fiona finds comfort in listening to Rod Stewart (who affectionately called her "Doris"), though Martin must explain where the music originates as she no longer understands concepts like speakers or smartphones.
A Call for Greater Awareness and Research
Martin emphasizes that countless families suffer similarly in silence. While not seeking to become an Alzheimer's "poster boy," he expresses frustration that the disease—which kills more people annually than heart disease and strokes—receives minimal research funding compared to conditions like cancer.
In a particularly raw admission from the book, Martin writes: "Being brutally honest, I wish she had got cancer. Then at least there might be a cure."
The Daily Mail and Alzheimer's Society have since launched the Defeating Dementia campaign to boost research, awareness, early diagnosis, and care improvements.
Enduring Love Amidst Heartbreak
Despite the overwhelming strain, Martin's love for Fiona remains unwavering. He recalls moments when she pleads, "Please don't leave me," and reflects: "It breaks my heart that my strong independent wife has become so vulnerable."
Experts have advised him to repeat three words during moments of frustration: "Don't! Feel! Guilty!"—a mantra he clings to while navigating the heartbreaking reality of watching his wife gradually disappear.
