Friends and co-stars of Fiona Phillips have offered messages of support to the former GMTV presenter after she announced her Alzheimer's diagnosis. The 62-year-old journalist was told the news last year after suffering brain fog and anxiety.
Her mother, father, grandparents and uncle all suffered from the disease, The Mirror reports. She told The Mirror: "This disease has ravaged my family and now it has come for me. And all over the country there are people of all different ages whose lives are being affected by it - it’s heartbreaking. I just hope I can help find a cure which might make things better for others in the future."
The TV presenter added: "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, my uncle. It just keeps coming back for us."
Following Fiona's brave reveal, celebrities have been sharing messages of support and paying tribute to the former GMTV presenter.
Eamonn Holmes, who hosted GMTV alongside Fiona for eight years, told GB News viewers this morning: "We wish Fiona all the best."
Meanwhile, Piers Morgan tweeted a touching message to Fiona as he penned: "What incredibly sad news, but how typically honest & courageous of @realmissfiona to speak out about it. Lovely lady, wish her and her family all the best as they battle this horrible disease."
This Morning host Holly Willoughby sent her love to Fiona, calling the TV star "brave" while Vanessa Feltz hailed Fiona as "remarkable" as they discussed her diagnosis on the show.
Holly told viewers today: "We are starting with a story that is very personal to this show actually... it's personal because Fiona is married to our editor Martin. It's something that they have been living with for a little while but yesterday was the day to finally come out and speak about it for the first time. It feels extra cruel and sad because Fiona has said herself that dementia has decimated her family.
"It's tough because you normally think of Alzheimer's and dementia as something that comes to somebody when they are older, but what is very brave about Fiona talking about this is showing and educating that this can happen much earlier in your life."
Vanessa then said: "I've known Fiona for over 30 years. She is a remarkable person, she's incredibly bright, amazingly quick thinking, highly intelligent... I can barely imagine how this must be affecting her, she's such an exceptional person... my heart goes out to her, I have never admired her more."
Holly then added: "Let's send out love to Fiona and all the family. I know we've been getting so many kind messages that have come through here to the show for them, and I know they feel very overwhelmed with the support they've been getting, so thank you for those."
And This Morning's Dr Hilary Jones was close to tears as he discussed the star's sad health news. He said on Good Morning Britain: "I worked with Fiona for ten years at GMTV. Lovely person, very warm, very welcoming to all of her guests, very knowledgeable, as you say, mischievous and fun. My heart goes out to her, sending her all my love.
"I'm so glad she's spoken out about this to raise awareness to help other people." GMB presenter Susanna Reid also paid tribute to Fiona on today's broadcast. She said: "We are all sending our huge best wishes this morning to Fiona Phillips, well known to all of you as the former presenter of GMTV, for more than a decade.
"She is a hugely popular presenter and journalist, we all know and love her, she has also been an incredible advocate to family's living with Alzheimer's. Her mother was diagnosed in her 50s, or the symptoms were certainly picked up, her father then in his 60s and her uncle as well.
"And now Fiona herself has been diagnosed, it's called young-onset Alzheimer's. She was diagnosed at the age of 61." Meanwhile, Ed Balls went on to describe Fiona as an "iconic broadcaster" before going on to explain that former Prime Minister Gordon Brown had pleaded with the presenter to ditch television and move into government. Ed claimed that Mr Brown believed Fiona would be a "brilliant public health minister".
He added: "I think we decided that broadcasting was her priority, so fair enough to her for deciding that – she would have been brilliant." Lorraine Kelly also shared a touching message to Fiona on Twitter last night.
Quote-tweeting the video, Lorraine told her followers: "As expected our much loved Fiona is dealing with this shattering diagnosis with courage and optimism. She’s a good kind soul and I pray the treatment works and results in a massive breakthrough for everyone dealing with this hellish disease. Sending her and her family all my love."
