Fiona Phillips’ husband Martin Frizell has recalled the devastating moment the TV star failed to recognise their son amid her battle with Alzheimer’s.
The former GMTV host, 64, who is mother to Nathaniel, 26, and Mackenzie, 23, was diagnosed with the progressive brain disorder in 2022 at the age of just 61.
In Fiona’s upcoming memoir Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer’s, Martin shared how the broadcaster became ‘terribly distressed’ when she could not recognise their eldest son Nat.
In an extract published in The Mirror he penned: ‘One weekend, Nat was home from the Army and making tea in the kitchen while Fiona and I sat watching television’.
‘She became terribly distressed. “Who’s that man in the kitchen?” she asked me. “That’s Nat” I said gently. “Our son. He’s home for the weekend”. She was in such a state that she didn’t even seem upset that she had asked the question’.
Martin said that Nat would have been ‘devastated’ to hear his mother being unable to recognise him, but thankfully he did not.
Fiona Phillips’ husband Martin Frizell has recalled the devastating moment the TV star failed to recognise their son amid her battle with Alzheimer’s
The former GMTV host, 64, who is mother to Nathaniel, 26, and Mackenzie, 23, was diagnosed with the progressive brain disorder in 2022 at the age of just 61 (pictured 2008)
In Fiona’s upcoming memoir, Martin shared how the broadcaster became ‘terribly distressed’ when she could not recognise their eldest son Nat (pictured with Nat in 2004)
It comes after Martin, 66, and Fiona detailed the worrying time they feared their sons could inherit Alzheimer’s.
When the couple first learned of her diagnosis, they were concerned if the disease was genetic and would strike their sons.
After a genetic test, Fiona and Martin were relieved to discover their boys weren’t in danger of inheriting the disease.
In the Mail’s exclusive extract from her upcoming memoir, Martin said: ‘We did tackle one fear and talked to Fiona’s consultant about whether she had inherited the illness from her parents.
‘She then had a genetic test, because if she carried the gene for Alzheimer’s there was a danger the boys would have it, too, which in turn might mean them thinking about IVF if they wanted children, in order to break the genetic line.
‘Thankfully, the test was negative.’
He added: ‘That meant she didn’t carry the gene so the boys wouldn’t either. But the doctor said she was clearly predisposed to Alzheimer’s.
‘I didn’t entirely understand what he meant. How could someone be ‘predisposed’ to a particular disease if there wasn’t something in their genetic make-up that determined it?’.
Martin said that Nat would have been ‘devastated’ to hear his mother being unable to recognise him, but thankfully he did not (pictured 2001)
It comes after Martin, 66, and Fiona detailed the worrying time they feared their sons could inherit Alzheimer’s (pictured 1999)
After a genetic test, Fiona and Martin were relieved to discover their boys weren’t in danger of inheriting the disease (pictured in 2013)
‘But he assured me this was the case. While Fiona’s chances of getting the disease had always been a lot higher, that didn’t mean she would pass it on to her children.
‘A few months later we told the boys what was happening. By then, she was even more withdrawn and forgetful and they knew she’d had a series of hospital appointments.
‘Rather than the terrible news landing on them like a bomb, I’d gradually shared with them the sense that something was very wrong.
‘When the moment came and I used the dreaded ‘Alzheimer’s’ word, I think they were prepared for it – however awful that news was.
‘They were just heartbroken for their mum, though she didn’t want to make a big fuss about it all.
‘She was able to dismiss it from her mind and so the conversation quickly moved on. It may sound strange, but that is how it was.’
Elsewhere in the memoir, Martin gave a heartbreaking confession on his wife’s condition.
Martin emotionally admitted the family are ‘slowing saying goodbye to the woman they love’, who soon will be ‘wiped away’ by the disease.
Martin explained how he and their sons are ‘enduring a living grief’ as they watch the ‘glittering star’ deteriorate through time.
‘Bit by bit, it [Alzheimer’s] takes everything. Through time, even the most glamorous, glittering star – such as Fiona was – will be wiped away’, he wrote.
He added: ‘Sorting the bank accounts, utility direct debits, hospital appointments, clothes, washing, parking permits, shopping, cooking, tidying the house – in fact, all the stuff I took for granted because Fiona dealt with it (as well as her own career) – became my responsibilities, along with a seven-day-a-week job.
Martin explained how he and their two sons are ‘enduring a living grief’ as they watch the ‘glittering star’ deteriorate through time
!['Bit by bit, it [Alzheimer's] takes everything. Through time, even the most glamorous, glittering star ¿ such as Fiona was ¿ will be wiped away', he wrote (pictured at Derek Draper's funeral last year)](https://www.americanpolibeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1752532175_189_Fiona-Phillips-husband-reveals-devastating-moment-star-64-didnt-recognise.jpeg)
‘Bit by bit, it [Alzheimer’s] takes everything. Through time, even the most glamorous, glittering star – such as Fiona was – will be wiped away’, he wrote (pictured at Derek Draper’s funeral last year)
‘It was knackering. There were times I felt drained, physically and emotionally.
‘On top of the stress, the boys and I are enduring a kind of living grief – a slow goodbye to the woman we love.’
In the memoir, the pair – who wed in 1997 and share two children – revealed their marriage was ‘falling apart’ as a result of Fiona’s then undiagnosed battle with the disease.
Fiona explained: ‘My marriage was coming under increasing strain.
‘I’m sure the disease was at least partly responsible, but at the time neither of us could see it. I just became more and more disconnected from Martin and the boys.
‘”You’ve totally zoned out of our family and our marriage,” he would say to me. “Don’t be so bloody ridiculous!” I’d yell back.
‘But, if I’m honest, I think he was right. I just didn’t seem to have the energy for any of it any more.
‘I didn’t realise quite how seriously Martin felt about it all until one evening he announced he was moving out.
‘”Stop being so ridiculous!'” I yelled. “I’m just worn out. I’m tired – of everything.”
‘”That’s what you’ve been saying for years,'” he replied. “Maybe this – our marriage – is what’s making you so tired.”‘
Fiona first met Martin when she was working on GMTV as a presenter and he was its chief correspondent.
He later popped the question after they had been dating for just four weeks, before they went to Las Vegas to tie the knot in 1997.
Having turned his back on his prolific job, in his own candid words, Martin revealed Fiona now needs ‘a lot of help’, with his care extending to showering Fiona, brushing her teeth, dressing her and ultimately ‘making her feel as safe as possible’.
He explained: ‘It is January 2025 as I write this, and Fiona needs a lot of help. She needs help showering and brushing her teeth. She can do these things physically, but is unable now to think about how she should do them…
‘I wash Fiona’s hair because she wouldn’t know what shampoo or conditioner to use or how wet her hair needs to be or that she must rinse the soap suds out afterwards…
‘And most nights I’ll say, ‘Right, we need to brush our teeth before we go to bed,’ and I’ll put the toothpaste on the brush and hand it to her…
Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer’s, by Fiona Phillips will be published on July 17.
