Loose Women star Coleen Nolan has revealed Fiona Phillips' Alzheimer's diagnosis "hit her like a ton of bricks", as it brought back her own family's experience of the disease.
Fiona, 62, announced her devastating news on Tuesday in an interview with The Mirror, where she has been a columnist for almost 20 years.
The GMTV favourite and TV presenter learned the news from doctors 18 months ago, while the disease has impacted her family and her life for decades.
After close family members battled the disease across her life, including both of her parents, Fiona shared her own diagnosis which she received aged just 61 years old.
The 62-year-old TV favourite was told she had the illness a year ago after suffering months of brain fog and anxiety.
Fiona is now undergoing trials for a revolutionary new drug, which scientists hope could slow or even reverse the illness for millions of sufferers in the years to come.
On Wednesday, a number of ITV stars shared their love and support for Fiona following her health news.
Panellist Coleen admitted she "could have sobbed" when she learned the news, as she recalled her mother's battle with Alzheimer's that "traumatised" her family.
Coleen emotionally confessed her constant fear that she too will be diagnosed with the disease, after seeing her mother go through it before her death in 2007.
As the panellists all shared their "upset" over the news after Fiona confirmed her diagnosis, Coleen shared her "shock" especially with Fiona being 62 years old.
She said on the show: "I was so shocked, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I've experienced Alzheimer's with my mum and I know how as a family, how traumatic that was for us and still is to a degree.
"But it's less shocking when someone's in their late 70s or 80s, you always assume even myself I think I'll probably have some form of dementia… but she's 62."
Coleen went on: "Of everything we've gone through with my family, I'd say Alzheimer's for me as a family member was the worst to watch someone you love go through. I feel for her family, her husband, her kids.
"Hopefully these drugs she is trying will slow it down or reverse it and that’s brilliant. I was really shocked and I could have sobbed when I heard her talk about it, because selfishly it brings everything back that you’ve gone through, so I wanna send her all our love really."
On her own fears of having the disease, she said: "It's something I fear every single day. Every time I forget something, every single time I forget a name or where I've put something, this fear overtakes me, 'Oh my God, I've got it'. So I wouldn’t like to know I think it would ruin my life."
Host Christine Lampard then shared a public message to Fiona, saying: "Fiona we are sending you all of our love and to the family, and wishing you all the very best and hopefully we can see you again soon."
Fiona's news became public on Tuesday, and the TV presenter referenced the battles her family members, including both her parents, have had with the disease.
She revealed: "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."
Fiona went on: "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."
Fiona has been carrying the secret of her illness for 18 months but on Tuesday she chose to share the news with readers of the Mirror where she has been a columnist for almost 20 years.
She told us: "There is still an issue with this disease that the public thinks of old people, bending over a stick, talking to themselves.
"But I’m still here, getting out and about, meeting friends for coffee, going for dinner with Martin and walking every day."
Loose Women airs weekdays at 12:30PM on ITV1 and ITVX.
