Fiona Phillips' Husband Provides Heartbreaking Update on Alzheimer's Battle
Martin Frizell, the husband of beloved television presenter Fiona Phillips, has shared an emotional update on her health following her diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease. The 65-year-old broadcaster, who hosted GMTV for 15 years, was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's in 2022 after experiencing symptoms of brain fog and anxiety.
'She's Still Very Much With Us'
Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain on Tuesday 24 February, Frizell – who produced This Morning for a decade until last year – gave viewers a poignant insight into his wife's condition. 'To this day, Fiona is still very much with us,' he said. 'She still looks the same. She was the world's most stubborn woman and she's still the world's most stubborn woman, which is difficult when you try to get her medicine.'
While Phillips wrote about her experience with the disease in her memoir Remember When last year, Frizell explained that she copes by refusing to speak about the illness. 'Her way of dealing with it, and everyone's different, is that she doesn't want to talk about the A-word, so we don't,' he revealed.
Family History and Daily Struggles
Frizell noted that Phillips believes she has chronic depression, which is another symptom of Alzheimer's, and described her as being frightened. When asked by host Susanna Reid whether Phillips – whose parents both suffered with Alzheimer's – inherited the disease, Frizell clarified that it's not genetic but she was 'more predisposed to it'.
'She probably knew this was coming. It's not an old person's disease,' he emphasized. 'You can get it at any age, children can get it and she got it in her fifties. We did have a test and they said it's not genetic but she's more predisposed to it because both her parents had it.'
He reflected on their family's approach, saying: 'We never spoke about it. Maybe we should – maybe the lesson is that people should speak about these things. It's a difficult discussion to have. What should we do if X, Y and Z happens?'
Call for Increased Research Funding
Frizell used the platform to urge the government to put more funding into Alzheimer's research, calling it Britain's biggest killer. 'Why are we not putting more money into Britain's biggest killer?' he questioned. 'It seems to be that Alzheimer's is the poor relation to all the other big diseases, something like cancer. The money isn't there.'
Frizell and Phillips have been married since 1997 and live with their two sons, Nathaniel and Mackenzie, in south London. Frizell was the long-standing boss at ITV's This Morning, before stepping down in December 2024, stating that he was 'expecting [his] family priorities to change' in 2026.
The interview highlighted the personal toll of Alzheimer's on families and the need for greater public awareness and research investment. Phillips' journey continues to resonate with many, as her husband's update underscores the ongoing challenges and resilience in facing this devastating disease.
