‘SHE’S STILL HERE, BUT WE CAN SEE HER SLIPPING AWAY’: FIONA PHILLIPS’ HUSBAND SHARES HEARTBREAKING UPDATE ON HER ALZHEIMER’S BATTLE
Martin Frizell has spoken candidly about the emotional toll of watching his wife live with early-onset Alzheimer’s, revealing how the disease is changing their family life.
Former television presenter Fiona Phillips continues to live with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, and her husband, Martin Frizell, has shared an emotional update about the impact of the condition on their family.
Martin, a television producer and former editor of ITV’s This Morning, has been open about the challenges of caring for his wife, whom he has been married to since 1997.
In February 2026, he appeared on ITV’s Lorraine and spoke about how Fiona’s condition had progressed.
He revealed that she no longer remembered important dates, including Valentine’s Day, Christmas and New Year.
“It’s wretched; not just for her but for the family as well,” he said.
He also described the painful experience of watching someone who had once been so energetic and full of life gradually change.
“She’s still there, but day by day, we can see it slipping away,” Martin explained.
THE MOMENT SHE DIDN’T RECOGNISE HER OWN HUSBAND
Martin has previously described some of the most difficult moments of their journey.
In an interview, he explained that Fiona sometimes no longer recognised him as her husband.
He recalled the emotional difficulty of hearing her question their relationship, while understanding that the words were coming from the illness rather than the woman he had known for decades.
“What am I supposed to say when she says, ‘You’re not my husband’?” he said.
He explained that he tries not to take such moments personally, recognising that Alzheimer’s has affected the way Fiona understands the world around her.
A FAMILY HISTORY THAT HAUNTED HER
Fiona’s diagnosis carried particular emotional weight because both of her parents had also developed Alzheimer’s disease.
The former GMTV presenter was diagnosed in 2022, aged 61, after initially believing her symptoms, including anxiety and brain fog, could be connected to menopause or Long Covid.
Martin later revealed that Fiona underwent genetic testing because the couple were concerned about whether their two sons, Nathaniel and Mackenzie, might inherit the condition.
Thankfully, the test was negative. Martin explained that Fiona did not carry the gene associated with inherited Alzheimer’s, although doctors considered her more predisposed to the disease because of her family history.
THE EMOTIONAL COST OF CARING FOR SOMEONE YOU LOVE
Martin has also spoken honestly about his own emotional struggles.
He admitted that he has had to fight against slipping into depression while watching Fiona’s condition progress.
Although he has continued working on new projects, he has sometimes felt guilty about being away from his wife.
He has also described the difficulty of knowing how to respond when someone living with dementia says something that is not factually correct.
For Martin, the challenge is finding ways to maintain their connection while accepting that the disease has changed the person he loves.
FIONA’S STORY IS HELPING OTHER FAMILIES
Despite the difficulties, Fiona has helped raise awareness of Alzheimer’s through her memoir, Remember When: My Life with Alzheimer’s, written with Martin’s support and published in 2025.
The book shares her experience of diagnosis, the changes in her daily life and the impact of the disease on those closest to her.
Fiona was once one of Britain’s best-known breakfast television presenters, co-hosting GMTV from 1993 to 2008.
Now, her story has become a deeply personal account of living with a condition that affects not only the person diagnosed but also their family and loved ones.
Martin continues to speak publicly about the need for greater awareness, support and investment in Alzheimer’s research.
For the couple and their two sons, the journey remains difficult. But Martin’s words make clear that Fiona is still very much part of their family, and that the love surrounding her has not disappeared.
