Fiona Phillips shares early Alzheimer’s symptoms that she dismissed as menopause

Presenter, Fiona Phillips, has bravely spoken out about being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, which she initially thought was menopause after suffering from ‘brain fog’

Fiona Phillips admits she had no idea she was suffering from Alzheimer’s before her diagnosis (Image: PA)

Fiona Phillips admits she had no idea she was suffering from Alzheimer’s before her diagnosis three years ago. The former Good Morning Britain star, 64, who shares two children with ex-This Morning boss, Martin Frizell, initially put her symptoms, including brain fog, anxiety and a lack of interest in her marriage down to menopause. However, three years ago she was tragically told that she had the neurodegenerative disease, which both her parents suffered with.

Opening up about her early symptoms, Fiona said she had frequent anxiety attacks, “which became almost hourly”. She also suffered from brain fog, a lack of confidence when driving and confusion, over the “simplest thing like opening a bank account”.

Fiona Phillips
Fiona Phillips was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s three years ago(Image: PA)

She writes in an extract of her book, Adapted from Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer’s, which is published in the Mail: “For me it was the sense of brain fog and a sense of anxiety that I could rarely shake off.

“The simplest thing, like going to the bank to ask about my account, would send me into a total panic, and there were mood swings too, which meant even I was finding my behaviour unpredictable. “

Meanwhile, Fiona’s marriage was coming under increasing strain. Blaming Alzheimer’s for “at least part of it”, she said: “I’m sure the disease was at least partly responsible, but at the time neither of us could see it. I just became more and more disconnected from Martin and the boys.

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“‘You’ve totally zoned out of our family and our marriage,’ he [Martin] would say to me. “

Putting her symptoms down to menopause after a leading expert appeared on This Morning, Fiona was taken in for tests.

Fiona Phillips File photo dated 11/3/98 of the GMTV presenter and her husband Martin Frizell.
The mum-of-two says her then undiagnosed condition affected her marriage with Martin Frizell(Image: Press Association)

Martin said: “Dr Newson was lovely. She had a long chat with Fiona and took blood tests. She also put her on a course of hormone replacement therapy. If it was the menopause, then within a couple of months the brain fog and anxiety symptoms should start to ease.

But when Fiona’s condition failed to improve after a few months of the HRT treatment, the doctor read through Fiona’s notes again and then, says Martin, “said the words I’d been hoping for so long never to hear” – that it may be something more than the menopause.

After a series of tests, including simple subtraction and being asked to draw intersecting rectangles, Fiona had an MRI, which was inconclusive. But, after she had a lumbar puncture she was told she had early-onset Alzheimer’s.

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Revealing that she and Martin went to the pub for a much-needed drink after the devastating news, Fiona writes stoically: “That afternoon in the pub it had seemed extraordinary that we could continue to live life ‘as normally as possible’, but that’s exactly what we did from that moment on. “

* More information and advice about Alzheimer’s can be found at the Alzheimer’s Society

Fiona Phillips reveals early Alzheimer signs led to secret split from husband

Fiona Phillips has sensationally revealed that she had secretly split from her husband Martin Frizell as tension grew in their marriage before Alzheimer’s diagnosis

Fiona Phillips and husband Martin Frizell share sofa on breakfast TV(Image: Press Association)

To the outside world, Fiona Phillips’ marriage was nothing short of perfect. But now, the former breakfast TV presenter has revealed that her relationship was anything but a happy one as Alzheimer’s disease was starting to take its toll on her and her family – unknowingly.

The relationship between Fiona, 64 and her husband – former This Morning producer Martin Frizell – had broken down beyond repair as she recalled the moment he announced he was moving out of their family home.

In a first person piece for the Mail On Sunday, the TV star, who was one of the main presenters of GMTV, opened up on the fact she was not aware she had developed the disease which had taken both her parents.

Fiona Phillips and husband Martin Frizell attend the funeral of Derek Draper the husband of Kate Garraway
Fiona Phillips and husband Martin Frizell attend the funeral of Derek Draper the husband of Kate Garraway(Image: PA)

In the run up to their secret separation, Fiona explained that she was in denial over the fact she was experiencing the initial symptoms of the disease and put it down to the menopause instead.

Their marriage became more and more fractured as Martin felt Fiona was becoming increasingly distant from him and their children and their arguments were becoming far too regular.

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Fiona explained: “Was I worried that there might be something sinister lurking beneath the surface? That Alzheimer’s could one day be coming for me too? “

She added: “On one level I did think I would get the disease, but there was also another part of me that was in a strange sort of denial about it all. This illness has devastated so much of my life already, surely it’s not going to come for me too? ‘ I’d tell friends. “

Fiona Phillips was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2023
Fiona Phillips was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2023(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for The Prince of Egypt)

Fiona went onto reveal that she’s sure that the disease was “at least partly responsible” for her marriage breaking down but that neither she nor Martin could see that. She became “more and more disconnected” from her family, with Martin accusing her of zoning out of their marriage.

She said: “But, if I’m honest, I think he was right. I just didn’t seem to have the energy for any of it any more. I didn’t realise quite how seriously Martin felt about it all until one evening he announced he was moving out. “

In that moment, Fiona did not believe that her marriage was completely over, in fact she said that she felt he was simply “trying to shock me into behaving differently”.

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They had separated for three weeks before they started to exchange text messages between each other and then arranged to meet at a hotel in Hampshire, in a desperate bid to save their marriage.

They reconciled their differences but Fiona recalled that she was still suffering with the same symptoms. In 2023, at the age of 62, Fiona revealed that she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

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Oasis fans say gig-goer ‘didn’t deserve’ tickets as they spot what she’s doing on phone

An Oasis fan who attended the opening night of their reunion tour in Cardiff has been criticised online after she was caught searching up a hit song on her phone

People couldn’t believe what the girl was doing in the crowd as Oasis played (stock image)(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

As Oasis fans around the world who were unsuccessful in getting tickets to their Live ’25 tour enviously watch the much-anticipated reunion gigs kick off in Cardiff on Friday (July 4), one fan who was in attendance was criticised for not knowing one of the biggest hits of the 90s.

Liam and Noel Gallagher treated Oasis fans at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on both Friday and Saturday (July 5) to a setlist full of smash hits including Wonderwall, Supersonic, and Don’t Look Back in Anger. They were supported by Cast and Richard Ashcroft, who were tasked with warming the audience up before the brothers took to the stage for the first time in 16 years.

But one fan in the crowd was caught on camera having to use the app Shazam to find out what a hugely popular hit from the 90s actually was – leaving some furious commenters on social media wondering why she bought a ticket.

A TikTok account dedicated to both Oasis and Richard Ashcroft shared a video of The Verve frontman performing the band’s biggest hit, Bitter Sweet Symphony, during the opening night of the tour on Friday.

Liam Gallagher (L), lead singer and Noel Gallagher (R), singer and guitarist of British rock band Oasis take to the stage at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on July 4, 2025
Many fans couldn’t get tickets to see Liam and Noel on the reunion tour(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The video then pans across the crowd, most of whom were singing along to the well-known track, before settling on one woman who had the Shazam app open on her phone. Shazam can tell you the name of a song just by listening to it and is widely used by people to find details about tracks playing in shops or even on adverts.

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But social media users were left baffled at the woman’s apparent lack of knowledge of the 1997 hit, especially given her presence at an Oasis gig. Several even referred to Bitter Sweet Symphony as so well-known that it should be the “national anthem” of the UK.

The TikTok account wrote on the video: “Did they just Shazam the national anthem? “

And they added in the caption: “Imagine not knowing the greatest song of all time. “

Most commenters were in agreement, with many disgruntled fans claiming they “deserved” tickets to the sold-out shows more than others who don’t know the words to some of the biggest tracks performed on the night.

One person said: “There’s no way I lost tickets to someone Shazaming one of the most popular songs of the Britpop era. “

Richard Ashcroft
Richard Ashcroft is opening for Oasis on the tour(Image: PA)

Another added: “How are you going to an Oasis gig not knowing Bitter Sweet Symphony? “

Even the official Jedward account posted: “If you don’t know Bitter Sweet Symphony, we can’t be friends. “

But others were on the woman’s side, pointing out that she bought tickets to see Oasis and shouldn’t be expected to know the support acts, no matter how famous other people might think they are.

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Someone pointed out: “Concerts were originally made for people to discover new music, not for die-hard fans who know every song; this is actually really valid of her. “

Another declared: “Going to a concert and not knowing all of the songs is normal, calm down. “

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Noel and Liam Gallagher ‘take extreme methods to avoid clash’ amid world tour

Following their 16 year rift that broke the band apart Oasis’ management placed Liam and Noel Gallagher in separate hotels half an hour away from each other to protect relationship

Liam and Noel advised to stay in separate hotels(Image: Samir Hussein/WireImage)

When Liam and Noel Gallagher took to the stage in Cardiff walking out hand in hand, it was a sight many of their original fans thought they would never see in their lifetime. And so in order to maintain their amicable reunion, it has emerged that the brothers were advised to stay in separate hotels for the first gig of their world tour, in a desperate bid to avoid a clash.

The brothers, who are famed for their volatile relationship, were placed in hotels half an hour away from each other. According to The Sun on Sunday, the famous duo skipped partying after their first night in the Welsh city and were driven away from the Principality Stadium at approximately 10.30pm.

Noel and Liam Gallagher hug as the close the show at Cardiff on Saturday
Noel and Liam Gallagher hug as the close the show at Cardiff on Saturday

A source told the publication: “The atmosphere was absolutely electric and Liam and Noel were delighted with the first night. They were a bit shell-shocked. “

They added: “It went better than anyone could have imagined. The lead up has all been ­carefully orchestrated, as everyone knows how delicate and fragile Liam and Noel’s relationship is. “

The insider close to the band continued: “They don’t want to over-expose themselves to each other. Having separate residences is the best option so they can relax in their own space. “

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They explained: “They stayed in separate locations outside the city around half an hour away from each other. “

“They’re happy families at the moment and they want to keep it that way. Liam has been off the booze for a while and sounds better than ever,” they added.

According to the source, Liam is determined to get eight hours sleep a night and is steering clear of alcohol and partying.

Fans were left in awe as the band, who were once synonymous with the stereotypical rock and roll lifestyle, belted out their iconic hits including Wonderwall, Stand By Me, Live Forever and Half The World Away.

And it seems a contributing factor in Liam’s clean living lifestyle is his partner Debbie Gwyther.

The source continued: “Debbie ­protects him from all the hype so he doesn’t get carried away. They’ve swapped out Guinness for zero per cent alcohol beers and keep the vibe backstage as chilled as possible. “

Partying in the crows were Noel’s daughter Anais, 25 and her mum Meg Matthews, 59. Liam’s sons Lennon, 25 and Gene, 24, were also at Friday’s gig.

Anais Gallagher seen partying while her dad Noel plays on stage in Cardiff
Anais Gallagher seen partying while her dad Noel plays on stage in Cardiff(Image: gallagher_anais/Instagram)

It has been reported that the Cardiff gig was emotional for their children who never thought the day would arrive when they would see their dad on stage as Oasis.

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And Anais was reportedly a “driving force in helping to reunite the brothers who at the time showed no intention of making the peace.

The Mirror has contacted reps for Oasis for a comment.

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‘I wore this Boux Avenue bra to a summer wedding and it solved my outfit dilemma’

Shopping Writer Meghan recently had an outfit dilemma as she needed a bra that wouldn’t be visible with the dress she was wearing to a summer wedding – and this Boux Avenue one that worked a treat

‘I wore this Boux Avenue bra to a summer wedding—it solved my outfit dilemma’(Image: Meghan Coon)

Is there anything worse than not having a bra that can seamlessly hide under awkward outfits? I recently had this issue, as the backless halterneck dress I planned to wear to a summer wedding meant none of my bras would be discreet underneath it. The previous strapless bra I owned was visible at the back, and the straps of normal bras would have been visible (and ruined the halterneck style). That’s where this Boux Avenue bra came in clutch.

Unlike some strapless bras that come unwired or feature an unstable all-over adhesive, this Boux Avenue strapless and backless stick-on bra is underwired to help create some lift, whilst the silicone gel adhesive wings help keep the bra in place and leave you feeling secure all day. The silicone adhesive is also transparent, meaning the bra can be fastened and go unnoticed, no matter what strap style you’re opting for with your top or dress.

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Backless and strapless bra
Meghan wore this £25 Backless and strapless bra(Image: Meghan Coon)

Coming in two shades, light nude and black to best suit your wardrobe, this bra comes in a range of sizes to comfortably fit and support your bust. Ditching the front clasp that some strapless adhesive bras have, which can be visible or cause bumps in tight-fitting clothes, this bra is seamless and smooth to easily hide under any ensemble without drawing attention to its presence.

The bra conveniently slipped under the halterneck dress I was wearing, offering plenty of support while being completely invisible at the front, sides and back. What’s more, the bra remained comfortable all day and stuck in place without constant readjustment from the start of the day to the end of the night (nearly 10 hours); plus, this summer wedding was during the heatwave when temperatures were racked up to 28 degrees Celsius, and despite sweating and moving around a lot through the course of the very hot day, the bra didn’t budge.

The adhesive wings located at the sides not only keep the bra exactly where you want it but they can also be pulled tighter to provide as much lift as you like, unlike bras where the adhesive is located on the inside of the cup. Completely reusable and washable, I had no trouble sticking the plastic covers back onto the adhesive wings once I was done using the bra, so that I could store it with the rest of my underwear without the adhesive sticking to other items or getting lint and fluff stuck to it, reducing its effectiveness.

I’ve since worn this bra under other dresses and tops I haven’t been able to wear so far this summer, as any other bras would be visible and ruin the look, and the bra continues to live up to its promises. The only thing I will note, for all those who use fake tan or gradual tanner, the adhesive may lift the tan in places where the adhesive is stuck to the skin once you remove it, so be prepared to need to redo your tan or place the bra in the same place next time you reach for it.

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Retailing for £25, this strapless and backless bra is part of Boux Avenue’s summer essentials collection, which also includes a Stick and Clip Bra (£24) which is sure to solve the same outfit woes as this dress, so long as the neckline doesn’t come deep enough to see the clasp. Boux Avenue also stocks silicone nipple covers for £10, for those outfits where you don’t need or want a full bra. If you want to ditch the adhesive, Boux Avenue has this viral Strapless Microfiber Multiway Bra (£32), which also promises to solve strapless outfit dilemmas, without the need to stick anything directly to your skin.

Fashion’s fun and fruity summer colour trend that even neutral lovers can’t get enough of

Tomato girl summer is officially here, and this fruity colour trend is all over our high streets from midi dresses to maxi skirts and linen tops

The fruity colour trend taking over this summer(Image: Mirror )

Taking off on TikTok a coupole of years ago, thanks to trending videos and celebrities like Hailey Bieber, ‘tomato girl summer’ and ‘strawberry girl summer’ are still here in 2025.

Although not entirely the same, with one leaning towards a more Mediterranean, Dolce Vita lifestyle, and one more of a wholesome, picnic in the park lifestyle, both trends have one colour in common: red.

Red has been one of the largest colour trends over the past two years, for both winter and summtime, and it’s clearly not going away anytime soon. This vibrant fruity hue has taken of our high streets. From mini dresses to handbags and ballet flats, anything you could ever want is available to purchase in a tomato tone of red.

So to help you out with some inspiration, and even covert you neutral lovers, we’ve rounded up the very best bold red fashion picks from brands including Next, H& M and Never Fully Dressed.

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NEXT

Next striped top
Stripes are always on trend (Image: Next )

Linen is always a good idea in the summer time thanks to its natural breathability, and moisture-wicking properties that keep you cool and dry. Combine two trends in one with this striped red shirt from Next. Team with the matching shorts for a cute co-ord or some denim Bermuda shorts for a relaxed everyday look.

SHOP THE LOOK: Red/White Stripe Short Sleeve Shirt with Linen, £28 here

H&M

H&M model shot
Burgundy is a great alternative to bright red (Image: H&M )

If the bright and vibrant reds aren’t really your style, why not go for a deeper burgundy? This dark hue is still right on trend, and we think it looks so chic in the summertime when paired with tan and raffia accessories.

SHOP THE LOOK: Pleated Top, currently £12 here, and High Slit Maxi Skirt, £24. 99 here

ASOS

ASOS model shot
A summer dress is a wardrobe staple(Image: ASOS)

A summer wardrobe isn’t complete with a versatile everyday summer dress, and we think we’ve found the perfect one from ASOS. The flattering square neckline and stylish pieces reallt elevate this simple midi. And, of course, the tomato red hue will have you standing out from the crowd in the best way.

SHOP THE LOOK: Scoop neck pleat waist midi dress, £38 here

NEVER FULLY DRESSED

Never Fully Dressed model shot
Tomatoes are summer’s trending print(Image: Never Fully Dressed)
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Rather than going for a colour-block red look, why not take tomato girl summer to a whole new level with this fun and playful set from Never Fully Dressed. The top is actually a scarf so can be worn in a variety of ways from accessorising your handbag to in your hair and round your neck.