Fiona Phillips has found herself engulfed in a battle against a devastating reality. The former GMTV presenter, now confronting early-onset Alzheimer’s, is navigating a world where she feels increasingly trapped. Her husband, Martin Frizell, has revealed the heartbreaking details of her condition, sharing that Fiona’s grasp on time and memory has deteriorated significantly since her diagnosis in early 2022.
At 64, Fiona now lives “solely in the present,” struggling to maintain coherent conversations that once were emblematic of her vibrant television career. Martin, aged 66, explained that her memory is fleeting, often failing her within “30 seconds or five minutes.” Recently, she has expressed distressing thoughts, convinced that Martin is keeping her captive while her deceased parents search for her, a reflection of her troubled mind. He reflects in his upcoming book, Remember When…, “I’d like to tell you Fiona is content in the situation into which she has been forced. But that wouldn’t be the truth. She isn’t – she is frustrated every single day. And depressed,” as reported by the Mirror.
Martin described Fiona’s longing to work, a stark contrast to her current reality, where she struggles to form sentences and often forgets what she wishes to communicate. “She constantly says she wants to work, but she knows deep down that she can’t. She knows she cannot hold a conversation and she forgets what she wants to tell people,” he remarked. Their family has had to employ unconventional methods to provide comfort, often staging mock scenarios. At times, their youngest son Mackenzie, 23, retrieves Fiona’s cherished coat while Martin pretends to escort her back to her parents, framing it as an imaginary ransom scenario.
Amidst these struggles, Martin recounts how they leave the house, Fiona exclaiming, “I’ll never forgive you for tricking me,” as passers-by watch their uncertain journey unfold. Once safely back home, she greets Mackenzie as if they haven’t seen each other for days, completely unaware of her surrounding realities.
One solace remains for Fiona, a hint of the joyous person she once was—music. Martin shares how she lights up when hearing songs from The Stylistics, a beloved group from her teenage years. “Every day, several times a day, she’ll say, ‘Hey Google, play The Stylistics,'” he recalls, noting that she begins to sing along perfectly. Yet, even in those moments, she clings to Martin with the plea, “Please don’t leave me.”
Despite his unwavering support, Martin has observed a decline in social connections, noting how the illness has drawn friends away and stifled invitations to gatherings. He candidly reflected, “Sometimes it would be nice to be asked,” understanding that the life they once shared feels like a relic of the past.
The emotional weight of this journey extends beyond just the couple. They are proud parents to Mackenzie, an aspiring fashion designer, and Nathaniel, 26, who is setting his sights on a military career. Martin openly shared the heartbreak he felt when Fiona first failed to recognize their eldest son, wishing desperately for a reprieve from the relentless effects of Alzheimer’s.
Fiona, who was only 61 at the time of her diagnosis, harbored fears about developing the condition that had afflicted both of her parents, both of whom struggled with the disease. It weighed heavily on her heart, knowing that genetic predispositions lingered, placing her at risk. Initially, Martin and Fiona made a deliberate choice to keep her diagnosis from their sons until they could ascertain that the boys were safe from a similar fate.