Susanna Reid pays tribute to Fiona Phillips after Alzheimer’s diagnosis

Fiona Phillips opens up about her Alzheimer's diagnosis

Former GMTV presenter Fiona Phillips yesterday revealed she had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers, with Good Morning Britain presenters Susanna Reid and Ed Balls sending their “love” in a heartfelt tribute.

Kicking off Wednesday show, Good Morning Britain’s top story was Fiona’s diagnosis, with Susanna beginning: “We are all sending our huge best wishes this morning to Fiona Phillips.

“Of course, well known to all of you as the former presenter of GMTV for more than a decade I think, and just a hugely popular presenter and journalist, we all know and love her.

“She has also been an incredible advocate for families living with Alzheimer’s, her mother was diagnosed in her 50s, her father then in his 60s and her uncle as well and now Fiona herself has been diagnosed.

“It is called young-onset Alzheimer’s she has been diagnosed with at 61l You, of course, have enormous experience in this area Ed.”

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Ed began to explain what it was like to have a close family member diagnosed with such a disease, as his own mother was diagnosed with Dementia 20 years ago.

He said: “She has been such an iconic broadcaster for so long, such a connection with people. I know very well that if you have a parent who has Alzheimer’s or Dementia.

“My mum has had Dementia for almost 20 years now, it is always in your mind, is it going to be hereditary, could it be me at some point?

“I would guess Fiona has been thinking about this for a long time and now it’s a reality that she is dealing with and doing so very bravely.”

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Fiona candidly opened up about her recent diagnosis and the anger she had as the disease “rampaged” through her family.

Speaking to The Mirror, she fumed: “It’s something I might have thought I’d get at 80 but I was still only 61 years old.

“I felt more angry than anything else because this disease has already impacted my life in so many ways; my poor mum was crippled with it, then my dad, my grandparents, and my uncle. It just keeps coming back for us.

“No one has known because I haven’t been blaring out loud, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve got Alzheimer’s’. And I have been so worried people will judge me or put labels on me. It’s a horrible bloody secret to divulge.”

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.

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