Martin Frizell Shares the Devastating Reality of Fiona Phillips’ Alzheimer’s Battle: “We’re Slowly Losing Her”
Martin Frizell, husband of broadcaster Fiona Phillips, has spoken candidly about the heartbreaking toll Alzheimer’s disease has taken on their family. In an emotional excerpt from Fiona’s upcoming memoir, Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer’s, Martin describes the experience as a “living grief,” as they watch the vibrant woman they once knew gradually disappear.
Fiona, a former GMTV presenter, was diagnosed in 2022 at just 61. Now 64, she depends on Martin for round-the-clock care. He left his position as editor of ITV’s This Morning to become her full-time caregiver.
“Alzheimer’s strips away everything,” Martin writes. “Even someone as dazzling and full of life as Fiona is slowly being erased.”
He shares the pain he and their two sons—Nathaniel, 26, and Mackenzie, 23—endure daily as they witness Fiona’s steady decline. “It’s not just stress,” he said. “It’s a slow, continuous goodbye.”
Martin now manages every part of Fiona’s care—from household duties to helping her with basic tasks like dressing, brushing her teeth, and showering. “She’s physically capable,” he explains, “but her mind no longer remembers how.”
The emotional weight of caregiving is immense. “There were days I felt completely drained—mentally and physically,” Martin admits. “Even something minor, like a tooth infection, could become devastating.”
Long before Fiona’s diagnosis, the disease had begun affecting their relationship. Fiona recalls feeling out of touch and perpetually tired. “Martin once said, ‘You’ve checked out of our family and marriage.’ I’d snap back, ‘That’s ridiculous.’ But deep down, I sensed he was right.”
At one point, the strain nearly drove them apart. Martin even contemplated leaving, believing the marriage might be the root of her fatigue. That painful moment forced them to confront how deeply the illness had taken hold.
In a raw and honest moment, Martin confesses: “If I’m being brutally honest, I wish Fiona had developed cancer instead. With cancer, there are options—treatments, support, hope. With Alzheimer’s, there’s none of that. No roadmap. No survivors’ stories. Just decline.”
Despite the crushing emotional toll, Martin remains fiercely devoted to Fiona. His mission now, he says, is to keep her safe—no matter the cost. “If I were to get sick,” he writes, “everything would fall apart. I have to stay strong. For her.”