Fiona Phillips’ husband, Martin Frizell, has opened up about the heartbreaking toll Alzheimer’s disease has taken on his wife – and their entire family. In an emotional extract from Fiona’s forthcoming memoir Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer’s, Martin revealed they are “slowly saying goodbye to the woman they love”, describing her decline as a “living grief”.
Fiona, the former GMTV host, was diagnosed with the progressive brain disorder in 2022 at the age of just 61. Now 64, she requires daily support from Martin, who left his role as editor of ITV’s This Morning to care for her full-time.
“Bit by bit, it takes everything,” Martin wrote. “Even the most glamorous, glittering star – such as Fiona was – will be wiped away.”
He revealed how he and their sons, Nathaniel, 26, and Mackenzie, 23, are enduring the slow pain of watching the vibrant woman they knew fade away. “On top of the stress, the boys and I are enduring a kind of living grief – a slow goodbye.”
Martin’s caregiving role is relentless. He now handles everything from household chores to Fiona’s personal care – helping her shower, brush her teeth, and dress. “She can physically do these things,” he explained, “but her brain no longer knows how.”
He described the challenge of balancing practical care with emotional devastation. “There were times I felt drained, physically and emotionally,” he admitted. “The worst thing would be for her to get something as simple as a tooth infection while so vulnerable.”
Fiona’s condition also impacted their marriage long before diagnosis. She recalled feeling disconnected and exhausted, unaware of the reason. “Martin once told me, ‘You’ve totally zoned out of our family and our marriage.’ And I’d shout back, ‘Don’t be so ridiculous!’ But deep down, he was right.”
At one point, Martin even considered moving out – a moment that brought their hidden struggles to the surface. “Maybe this – our marriage – is what’s making you so tired,” he told her at the time.
Despite their enduring love, Martin expressed painful truths in the memoir. “Being brutally honest, I wish Fiona had contracted cancer instead. At least with cancer, there’s a treatment plan, support networks, hope. With Alzheimer’s, there’s none of that. No remission. No care packages. No smiling survivors.”
Today, Martin says his role is to make Fiona feel safe – even if it means doing it all alone. “If I were to fall ill,” he wrote, “the whole house of cards would collapse. I’ve had to stay well. For her.”
