Martin Frizell, husband of former GMTV presenter Fiona Phillips, has given a poignant update on her battle with early-onset Alzheimer's. Phillips, 61, was diagnosed in early 2022 and has since experienced significant memory loss. Frizell told ITV's Lorraine that she no longer remembers Christmas or New Year, but stressed she is 'still very much with us'.
Frizell, the former editor of This Morning, shared a new photo of Phillips at home eating chocolate, joking she would hate it because of her hair colour. He spoke of the challenges of caring for her, revealing he feels guilty when away. He said: 'I can free myself up for eight days in April to go on tour - I haven't been away from home for more than three days in two years.'
The couple's ordeal has been documented in a book, which Frizell originally intended as a few paragraphs but expanded to 24,000 words. Phillips wrote heartbreakingly: 'Everywhere I look there are memories... yet so many of them feel out of reach now. Like trying to chase a £5 note on a gusty day.'
Frizell previously described how Phillips sometimes thinks he has kidnapped her due to delusions. He said: 'She does recognise me most of the time. Doesn't quite know that I'm her husband, but she knows who I am.' He added that leaving the house has become extremely stressful, as Phillips repeatedly asks what is happening.
Phillips was a household name hosting GMTV from 1993 to 2008 and was a long-time Mirror columnist. Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia, with no cure currently available, though some medicines can temporarily improve symptoms.
