Fiona Phillips has forgotten who she is again. She believed her husband had kidnapped her and asked the same question 72 times in just 35 minutes. The tragedy of Alzheimer’s, told through the eyes of the man who vowed to stand by her forever
Fiona Phillips’ husband, Martin Frizzell, has spoken candidly about the devastating decline in his wife’s health as she battles Alzheimer’s disease.
The former GMTV Today presenter was diagnosed in 2022, and her condition has since worsened significantly. Speaking in a deeply emotional interview on BBC Newsnight, Martin admitted: “I used to say good days and bad days. Now I just say bad days or wretched days – I think ‘wretched’ is the right word.”
Martin, who has been married to Fiona for 28 years, revealed the heartbreaking toll the illness has taken on their daily life. During a 35-minute cab ride, Fiona asked him the same question—“Where are we going?”—an astonishing 72 times. In one particularly distressing moment, she even believed he had kidnapped her.
“She does still recognise me most of the time,” Martin shared. “But she doesn’t always know I’m her husband. Sometimes she wants to ‘go home’ to her parents, and I just don’t have the heart to tell her they’re gone.”
The couple are now preparing to release a joint memoir, Remember When: My Life with Alzheimer’s, which documents their emotional journey. Martin recounted one incident where a smiling photo of Fiona was taken, but behind the image, she was convinced she’d been abducted.
Martin, who stepped down from his role as editor of This Morning to become Fiona’s full-time carer, said she now needs help with basic tasks like brushing her teeth or using shampoo. “She can do things physically, but not mentally. I have to guide her through almost every step.”
He also revealed that Fiona often dresses herself incorrectly or fixates on wearing the same item of clothing repeatedly. Her initial symptoms—brain fog and anxiety—were mistaken for menopause, until doctors confirmed the same disease that had also taken both her parents.
Despite the emotional weight of caregiving, Martin remains devoted to Fiona and their two sons, Nat and Mackenzie. He says their memoir is a tribute to love, resilience, and the painful realities of Alzheimer’s.