Fiona Phillips’ husband Martin Frizell has opened up about the heartbreaking struggles their marriage faced before the former GMTV star was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, revealing that the couple were “barely talking” and had begun “living separate lives” without understanding why.
In emotional reflections shared while promoting their memoir Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer’s, Martin admitted that the years leading up to Fiona’s diagnosis were filled with confusion, distance, and growing tension inside their family home.
According to Martin, Fiona’s behaviour gradually changed long before doctors discovered the real cause. He believed she had emotionally withdrawn from their marriage, while Fiona herself blamed exhaustion, menopause, stress, and later even Long Covid for the problems she was experiencing.
The couple, who have been married since 1997 and share two sons together, found themselves drifting apart as Fiona became increasingly forgetful, anxious, and detached. Martin revealed there were periods when they were barely communicating and living almost separate lives under the same roof.
At the time, neither of them realised those changes were early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
Fiona, whose mother and father both suffered from Alzheimer’s, initially struggled to accept that the same illness could be affecting her. The broadcaster has previously spoken about experiencing severe brain fog, confusion, anxiety, and a loss of confidence, but believed those symptoms were connected to menopause.
After years of uncertainty, Fiona was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2022 at the age of 61.
The diagnosis finally provided answers for the painful changes that had affected their relationship, but it also marked the beginning of an entirely new battle for the family.
Martin has since stepped away from his role as editor of ITV’s This Morning to become Fiona’s full-time carer. He has spoken candidly about the devastating reality of watching the woman he loves slowly disappear while still physically being there.
In one of his most emotional admissions, Martin said he misses the wife he once knew, describing Alzheimer’s as a disease that steals a person “bit by bit.”
The couple chose to share their story publicly to raise awareness about dementia and the lack of support available for families facing the illness. Through their memoir, they hope others will recognise the early warning signs sooner and understand the emotional toll Alzheimer’s takes not only on those diagnosed, but also on the people who love them.
Despite the heartbreak, Martin says his commitment to Fiona has never changed.
“I will care for her until the day I lie down for the last time,” he said, a statement that has deeply moved readers and supporters around the world.
