Fiona revealed her Alzheimer’s diagnosis last year at the age of 62. (Image: Getty Images)
Former GMTV star Fiona Phillips has been bravely facing and her husband, Martin Frizell, has resigned from his role as editor of to .
After a decade at , Frizell announced his departure, set for Spring 2025. He initially joined the network in 2014 as editor of and subsequently took over at This Morning.
Last year, at age 62, Fiona disclosed her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, a condition that had previously claimed her parents’ lives. She has been receiving treatment to delay the disease’s advancement, supported continuously by Martin and their two sons.
In an interview with last year, the couple discussed coping with Fiona’s Alzheimer’s. , Martin admitted: “My only frustration is just I want her to get better. I want her to remember things. I want the apathy to go and I want this person back who was vibrant and interested in things and eager to do new things… But she’s not there at the moment.”
Fiona, appearing somewhat bewildered, retorted: “Really? I hadn’t noticed I was being like that.”
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Martin Frizell has quit as editor of This Morning. (Image: Getty)
To which Martin clarified: “But you wouldn’t because you are in the middle of it.”
The chat progressed as Fiona spoke about her self-sufficiency, remarking: “I try not to rely on him too much,” which prompted Martin to laugh and confess: “I have absolutely ramped it up.
“Before, I didn’t have to worry about Fiona, and now I do… What is she doing all day while I’m at work? What is she eating?”
In a light-hearted comeback, Fiona quipped, “As if I wouldn’t be fed. And what are you worried about? That I’m out rampaging around the place!”
Even with the obstacles they face, Fiona has remained independent, although she occasionally underestimates the extent to which she has become dependent on Martin and others for support.
Martin remarked: “I think possibly the two worst traits you could have if you are going to get this disease are being stubborn and being independent.”
Fiona Phillips and Martin Frizell have been married since 1997. (Image: Getty Images Europe)
Diagnosed last year, Fiona said she is “determined to carry on living my best life”. However, she speculated whether her years of early wake-up calls while working on GMTV might have played a role in her early diagnosis.
that he is stepping back from This Morning in order to put his family first.
In a statement, he shared: “Next year I’m expecting my family priorities to change so I need to free up time for them. I love my team at ITV and will miss them and the thrill of live telly but it’s an always on, 24 hours a day, seven days a week commitment and I won’t be able to do both.”
Looking back on his time at ITV, Martin expressed: “It’s been a privilege to lead truly great presenters and producers, between us we’ve turned out more than six thousand hours of live topical telly, that’s around 20,000 items and whilst the gongs are always nice.
“I’m most proud of the change we made to so many lives, even saving a fair few with our campaigns on anti suicide, menopause, testicular cancer and ‘how – to’ items. This juggernaut is the toughest test for any broadcast journalist.”