LORRAINE Kelly has paid tribute to “quite amazing” Fiona Phillips following the TV star’s devastating Alzheimer’s Disease diagnosis.
The ITV anchor, 63, told how her former breakfast TV colleague was “incredible” in a touching segment to preview her Lorraine daytime show.
Lorraine Kelly has paid tribute to ‘quite amazing’ Fiona Phillips
The TV presenter, 62, made public her Alzheimer’s Disease battle yesterday
Lorraine heaped praise on her ‘incredible’ pal, with the pair seen with singer Charlotte Church
Fiona yesterday made public how she had been diagnosed with the condition aged 61.
The TV star, now 62, said she is “heartbroken” at having the same condition that has devastated her family – and revealed how she had hidden her Alzheimer’s battle from her sons.
When previewing her show today, Lorraine told Good Morning Britain hosts Susanna Reid, 52, and Ed Balls, 56, of her feelings.
Addressing the mum of two, she said: “She looks incredible, she is incredible.
“She is being quite amazing.”
Later, when fronting her show live, Lorraine again addressed the “very sad news.”
She told how she knew the former GMTV host “incredibly well.”
Lorraine told Dr Hilary: “It’s really sad news but she’s [Fiona’s] being really brave, really optimistic as we would expect.
“It’s a cruel, horrible disease.”
The anchor then branded Fiona a “superwoman” for juggling her former breakfast Tv hosting role with raising her kids and looking after her parents, who also suffered from Alzheimer’s.
Lorraine’s comments came after GMB anchor Susanna Reid sent her best wishes to the star earlier today.
Susanna delivered the news about Fiona’s heartbreak to viewers today, saying: “We’re all sending our huge best wishes to Fiona Phillips because of course well known to all of you as the former presenter of GMTV for more than a decade I think and just a hugely popular presenter and journalist.
“We all know and love her, she’s also been an incredible advocate for families living with Alzheimer’s.”
Susanna added: “Her mother was diagnosed in her 50s, her symptoms were certainly picked up in her 50s, 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.”
Fiona was diagnosed with the condition aged 61
Lorraine, seen with Fiona and the team on the GMB sofa, said she was being ‘really brave, really optimistic’
Fiona recently told how she and husband Martin Frizell had kept her diagnosis separate from her two sons
