The former GMTV presenter was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer’s four years ago at the age of 61.
Ewan Mowat Deputy Lifestyle, Trends, & Showbiz Editor
10:46, 11 Feb 2026
Fiona Phillips’ husband has given an update on her condition(Image: Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)
Fiona Phillips’ husband has given a devastating update on his wife’s Alzheimer’s battle during an appearance on TV. The former GMTV presenter was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer’s four years ago at the age of 61.
Her husband Martin Frizell, the former editor of This Morning, appeared on Lorraine today, February 11, to speak about his wife’s condition. As reported by The Mirror, he told viewers that he didn’t want it to seem like Fiona was a “basket case”.
He said: “She doesn’t remember Christmas now, she doesn’t remember New Year… I don’t want to give the impression she’s some sort of basket case. She’s very much with us.
“She is still the world’s most stubborn woman and still around the house. There’s a nice picture of her eating some chocolate; she’ll probably hate it because she thinks her hair colour should be a bit better.”
Martin Frizell opened up about Fiona’s journey on Lorraine(Image: ITV)
Speaking about how he has learned to take time for himself now, he continued: “I used to say it’s not me that needs to be asked if I’m ok, it’s not me that has the diagnosis. I’ve gone back to broadcasting, doing stuff ourselves and podcasting. I can free myself up for eight days in April – I haven’t been away from home for more than three days in two years. I feel guilty being here and not with her.”
Martin, who revealed his plans to go on a tour with his crime podcast, admitted that he finds simple tasks like leaving the house difficult as Fiona’s condition deteriorates. He previously said: “There’s no way I could drive or we could take public transport as Fiona now rarely understands where she is going or why.
“[She is] constantly asking what is happening, probably four or five times a minute on loop for the entire journey. Honestly, I got close to telling the taxi driver to turn around and take us home – Fiona’s only safe place – as the stress was unbearable. But of course that self-pity pales into insignificance compared to what Fiona was going through.”
Martin shared a picture of Fiona with viewers(Image: ITV)
Fiona hosted GMTV between 1993 and 2008 and also fronted several documentaries and episodes of Panorama. Away from the screen, she was a columnist for our sister title The Mirror.
Fiona’s diagnosis has been documented in a book, which has since had some additions as her journey continues. Martin had previously said he planned to write “a few paragraphs” but ended up writing “24,000 words”.
He explained: “I started off writing about what a great woman she is and just how horrible it is and dreadfully unlucky that she is the latest in the long line of her family to get it.
“Then I just got very angry as to what little support there is. As a family, we just kind of get through it and at some point we will need more support, but there’s just nothing really.”
In the book, Fiona – with Martin’s help – heartbreakingly wrote about her memories. She said: “Everywhere I look there are memories. I know they are there. Yet so many of them feel out of reach now.
“It’s like I reach out to touch them but then just as I am about to grasp it, the memory skips away from me. And I can’t catch up with it. Like trying to chase a £5 note on a gusty day.”