Charley Webb was left fighting back tears as she opened up about her mother Helen’s devastating battle with dementia — revealing the experience has been “very isolating” and admitting she still struggles to visit her.
The former Emmerdale star, 37, first went public in 2023 with the heartbreaking news that her mum had been diagnosed with early-onset dementia at just 64 — a condition Helen has now been living with for a decade.
Speaking candidly, Charley admitted she has “never felt so alone” as she did when the diagnosis was confirmed.
Dementia UK describes the condition as a progressive degeneration of the brain, affecting memory, communication, reasoning, behaviour and mood. Early-onset dementia occurs between the ages of 35 and 65 — a reality Charley said completely blindsided her family.
Appearing on the Mail’s The Life Of Bryony with host Bryony Gordon, Charley explained why she finally chose to speak publicly after years of silence.
She said she felt compelled to share her story both to support Alzheimer’s Research UK, where she is an ambassador, and because she knew just how lonely the experience could be for others.
“I felt selfish not talking about it,” she admitted. “I knew how alone I’d felt, and I thought if I can do a little bit more for the charity, I really want to do that.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever felt so alone as when that diagnosis happened.”
Charley also revealed the internal conflict she felt about keeping her mother’s illness private, knowing Helen would never have wanted it discussed publicly.
Describing her mum as glamorous and full of personality, she said she could still hear Helen’s voice telling her: “Don’t you tell people that I’ve got that.”
“She was all about makeup, hair, glamour,” Charley explained. “I wanted to protect her privacy. Even though she wouldn’t have known it was being spoken about, I just felt she would hate it.”
Reflecting further, she admitted she still hasn’t fully processed the loss.
“They say you grieve when they’re here and you grieve when they’re gone,” she told Bryony.
The conversation took a deeply emotional turn when Charley admitted she struggles to visit her mother, who now lives in a care home with round-the-clock support.
Breaking down, she said: “I know this is controversial, but I really struggle to go and see my mum without getting upset.”
Her voice cracked as she paused, apologising through tears before admitting: “It’s hard — it’s not the person that you love.”
Covering her face, Charley explained she often feels “selfish” because visits remind her of what she has lost, rather than bringing comfort.
“My sister finds it uplifting,” she said. “And I feel awful because I’m like, ‘Oh God, I’ve got to go see my mum.’ It’s not something I enjoy. It’s s**t.”
Despite anticipating criticism, Charley said honesty was important — because many people silently feel the same way.
“A lot of people find it harder than they let on,” she said. “It’s not easy to watch.”
She also revealed the “most annoying question” she hears following the diagnosis: “How is your mum?”
“There’s no answer,” she explained. “She’s not going to get better. You end up having the same conversation on a loop.”
Charley first shared Helen’s diagnosis publicly in 2023, describing how her family had been forced to “grieve for the person she once was.”
Appearing previously on This Morning, Charley explained how her mum — once deeply involved in managing her early career — was the first person whose forgetfulness she noticed.
“She forgot something huge for me financially,” she said, admitting her instincts told her something wasn’t right long before the diagnosis was confirmed.
The process, she said, was long, stressful and traumatic — particularly as Helen was young, fit, glamorous and reluctant to see doctors.
“You lose them right before your eyes,” Charley said quietly. “That’s the hardest thing.”
She revealed her mother is now in full-time care, describing the decision as “the hardest we’ve ever had to make.”
Ultimately, Charley said she chose to speak out so others wouldn’t feel abandoned.
“You get the diagnosis and you’re left to your own devices,” she said. “Support needs to be so much better.”
