This Morning host Holly Willoughby praised TV presenter Fiona Phillips on Wednesday, following the news she has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
Holly reached out to the GMTV favourite and her husband Martin Frizell, who is an editor on This Morning and has worked with ITV for decades.
Fiona went public with her diagnosis on Tuesday, while doctors told her the news 18 months ago.
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Speaking about her announcement on This Morning on Wednesday, Holly and her co-stars praised the TV presenter and sent their best wishes.
Guest Vanessa Feltz said she was "in awe" of the "remarkable" star, as Holly called her "brave" and revealed the show's "personal" link to the story.
Holly began: "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."
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."
The 62-year-old Mirror columnist 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
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."
This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.
