Category Entertainment News

Fiona Phillips, in an emotional, tell-all interview, details her frustrating journey with Alzheimer’s with which the journalist and broadcaster was diagnosed aged 61

Fiona Phillips has described the challenges with Alzheimer’s as “like trying to chase a £5 note that’s fallen out of your purse on a gusty day” in a candid article.

The journalist, who was diagnosed with the disease aged 61 in 2023, said every time “she thinks she had caught the £5 note, it whips away again” in an emotive passage about her journey. The mother of two told how she had “no awareness” that she kept repeating herself and she sometimes forgot what she was doing or where she was going soon after the diagnosis.

And now, the 64-year-old broadcaster is living with Alzheimer’s, with much of her care being done by husband Martin Frizell, who quit his role as editor of This Morning last year, stating he expected his “family priorities to [soon] change”. Fiona, with Martin’s support, has written a book called Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer’s, which will be published later this month, and extracts from which have been adapted for the media today.

In these passages, Fiona, who presented GMTV for 15 years, said: “Everywhere I look there are memories. I know they are there. And yet so many of them feel out of my reach now.

“It’s like I stretch out to touch them, but then just as I’m about to grasp it, the memory skips away from me. And I can’t catch up with it. Like trying to chase a £5 note that’s fallen out of your purse on a gusty day. Each time I think I’ve caught it, it whips away again.

“I couldn’t be writing this at all without my husband Martin and my closest friends, who are helping me articulate more clearly the thoughts I once had that are now harder for me to reach. “

READ MORE: ‘Doctors said I was too young to get dementia – now I have a rare condition’

Fiona, who is also a Mirror columnist, added: “Nowadays, I can find talking about my life agonisingly difficult. Sometimes I get halfway through a sentence and I can’t remember where I was heading with it or the word I was looking for. It feels awful.

“Gradually, Martin and I thought maybe I should start telling more people. Martin felt that if more people knew what was happening to me then they wouldn’t judge me if I did ever start behaving unusually – not that I thought I did. It was hardly like I was going down the street half-clothed, yelling at people.

“But he and the doctors, who I was constantly backwards and forwards to see, would say that I kept repeating myself and that sometimes I forgot what I was doing or where I was going. The strange thing was I had no awareness of that. “

The Mirror told, in 2023, how the star, born in Canterbury, Kent, was 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.

Yet it is too little too late for Fiona, so much so Martin said in the extracts he wishes his wife of 28 years had been diagnosed with cancer instead. He added: “Being brutally honest, I wish Fiona had contracted cancer instead. It’s a shocking thing to say, but at least then she might have had a chance of a cure, and certainly would have had a treatment pathway and an array of support and care packages.

“But that’s not there for Alzheimer’s. Just like there are no funny or inspiring TikTok videos or fashion shoots with smiling, healthy, in-remission survivors.

“After someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, they are pretty much left to their own devices. There is nothing more that can be done and you are left to cope alone. “

The couple try to maintain a optimistic outlook but, just like The Mirror’s recent case study Janet Allen and her daughter Emily, Martin and Fiona ultimately find it difficult to keep hopeful. Emily told us it was “the scariest thing” to learn her mum, from Reading, Berkshire, had got Alzheimer’s, which has left her needing care from loved ones too.

Veteran stage and TV performer Gerald Harper – who was in a brief relationship with an actress 40 years his junior – has died.

Gerald made his name on British TV in the 1960s and 1970s, starring as the lead role in the adventure drama Adam Adamant Lives! and then as the main character in Hadleigh. He then went on to forge an illustrious career on the stage, featuring in various West End shows, including Crucifer of Blood and A Personal Affair at the Haymarket Theatre.

Although he was also in popular films, such as 1979 mystery comedy The Lady Vanishes, Gerald will also be remembered for his relationship with Coupling and Green Wing star Sophie Alexander. He was in his early 70s when Sophie, then aged around 30, became lovers. Sophie was at the height of her own fame at the time, as she was a regular in sitcom Coupling and had been in Smack the Pony for four years.

Speaking at the time, a source who saw the couple together told our sister title, the Sunday People: “They were super-glued together! They were all over each other and didn’t care who saw them. Funnily enough, the young lady was making a lot of the running and kept grabbing him to French kiss him – it was quite a display. “

But Sophie, who has since been in Hollywood film I Could Never Be Your Woman, ended things with Gerald in 2002. She left Gerald for actor Peter Serafinowicz, whom she since married.

Gerald died on Wednesday, his agent confirmed yesterday. CDM Talent Agency posted on social media: “It is with great sadness that Gerald Harper has recently passed away – he was a valued client before he went to Spain to enjoy his retirement. ” It is unclear where the actor died.

He leaves behind two grown-up children, one from each of his two marriages before he met Sophie. Gerald, who also a radio presenter, was married to actress Jane Downs from 1957 until they divorced in 1975. In 1976, he married Carla Rabaiotti, a former Pan American air stewardess; they were divorced in 1983. He had a daughter with Heartbeat star Jane, who herself passed away in 2015, and a son with Carla.

Yet it is the fling with Sophie, long after the marriages, which caused the stir in Notting Hill, central London, where Gerald lived. Sophie reportedly moved in with the star, some 42 years her senior, which was believed to have raised eyebrows in the affluent area. It is said, though, Gerald was “absolutely bereft” when Sarah left him for Amandaland star Peter in 2002.

Since then, Gerald’s TV work declined and he focused more on plays and radio presenting. The charismatic performer presented The Sunday Affair for Capital Radio in the 1970s, and a series of Saturday afternoon shows for BBC Radio 2 in the early 1990s, in which he played classic songs from the past and gave away bottles of champagne and chocolates.

Speaking to the Daily Express in 2006, dad-of-two Gerald, who grew up in Barnet, northwest London, said: “I was a TV star on my own terms and for the best part of 20 years I virtually didn’t have a day off. “

Poppy Delevingne has given birth to a baby girl.

The model fell pregnant last year despite “making peace” with the fact she may not become a mother. The 39-year-old star, who grew up in central London, shared her happy news on Instagram on Friday, posting a black and white photograph of her holding her daughter’s tiny hand.

And Poppy confirmed the tot’s name – Kaia Moon Keswick – in the Instagram post, liked by more than 20,000 of the model’s fans. The socialite wrote: “20. 05. 25 The stars aligned, & then there was you. KAIA MOON KESWICK. Welcome to the world, baby bear. You have our hearts, our everything. “

Kaia was born on May 20 but Poppy and partner Archie Keswick, a billionaire, announced the happy news yesterday. Kaia is the couple’s first child together but Archie also shares two daughters with interior designer Alice Rugge-Price, to whom he was previously married.

Poppy, who is also an actress, announced in January that she was expecting her first child with Archie, who is a hotel executive. Last year, Poppy noticed, during a fitting for the Burberry show at London Fashion Week, her clothes were fitting tighter than usual. She went on to take a pregnancy test, which confirmed her suspicions. After going for routine scans, she discovered she was pregnant with a baby girl.

And since Poppy gave birth, fans have rushed to congratulate her and Archie. One posted on Instagram: “Huge congratulations to you and A! ” Singer Shaznay Lewis, who was in All Saints, posted: “Congratulations! ! Welcome to the world baby Kaia! So happy for you! Sending love. ” A further fan wrote: “Oh I love her name! Congratulations! “

Poppy married James Cook, a former model, who works for his family’s aerospace company, in May 2014. They divorced in September 2022, some time after which the socialite started a relationship with Archie.

Earlier this year, Poppy’s sisters Cara, 32, and Chloe, 39, were “elated” to find out they were set to be aunties to a girl, with the three of them meeting up in New York City to celebrate Poppy’s news. The siblings were thrilled to be welcoming their niece, with Poppy recalling how they spent the day together, with lots of chatting and “stroking” her growing bump.

But speaking in an interview last year, Poppy admitted she thought her time to have a baby may have passed her by and in a bid to “protect” her unborn baby, Poppy and Archie didn’t tell even friends and family until she was around four months. Poppy admitted she was “nervous” about her pregnancy.

EXCLUSIVE: Noel Gallagher’s ex Meg Mathews cheered him on from the audience during his Oasis comeback gig in Cardiff, but she left early – before one of the band’s more painful songs

Meg Mathews left Oasis’ Cardiff gig early this evening – as they returned for a special and heartbreaking song. Meg had been on hand to cheer on her ex-husband, Noel Gallagher, on the first night of the tour.

She was spotted arriving today, with a source telling the Mirror: “After posting about her ex-husband for weeks, Meg Mathews had a prime seat for watching the band. She was in great spirits before the set, watching Richard Ashcroft with pals.”

However, she left before the encore and was seen departing the show before the band came back to sing some of their biggest songs including Don’t Look Back In Anger, Wonderwall and Champagne Supernova.

Wonderwall may be a sore subject for Meg, as Noel had originally claimed he’d written it on a rainy Tuesday night for his girlfriend. He said back in 1996: “It’s about my girlfriend, Meg Mathews. She had a company which folded and she was feeling a bit sorry for herself. The sentiment is that there was no point in her feeling down, she has to sort my life out for me because I’m in bits had the time. “

However, in 2002, Noel did a complete U-turn and insisted Wonderwall actually had nothing to do with Meg. He said: “The meaning of that song was taken away from me by the media who jumped on it, and how do you tell your missus it’s not about her once she’s read it is? It’s a song about an imaginary friend who’s gonna come and save you from yourself. “

Meg even commented about the backtrack. In 2005, she said: “All of a sudden, when I was getting divorced, he said it wasn’t about me, so I don’t really understand. “

It comes just days after Meg was forced to deny that she and Noel had decided to give their relationship another go.

She had been sharing throwback snaps on social media, prompting fans to believe that they were back together following the breakdown of Noel’s second marriage.

READ MORE: Oasis have released new tickets for UK tour – how to buy yours if you missed out

Alongside the pics, fans have been desperate to see them reunite. One wrote in the comments: “Please tell us you are back together again,” whilst another added: “So nice to see you still love and support your ex. So healthy to have that bond. Especially when you have a beautiful daughter together. “

A third shared: “Meg these pics are the best! ! You’ll always have a bond, you share an amazing child who is a credit to you both,” with a fourth writing: “The best era, and the best couple, wish you two got back together. ” But Meg said it was a firm “no” when asked if she and Noel were an item again.

Liam Gallagher took a moment to thank fans for their support before he performed the final song of the night at the first Oasis reunion gig on Friday

Liam Gallagher thanked the 70,000 fans who attended Oasis’ first reunion gig in Cardiff for ‘putting up with them over the years’. The singer and his brother Noel had been at loggerheads for 16 years, with fans giving up on the idea that Oasis would reunite for another tour.

However, they shocked fans when they made the announcement last year that they would be embarking on an epic tour all over the world. Cardiff was blessed with the very first gig on Friday night, with the brothers holding hands and raising them to the sky as they waltzed onto the stage.

READ MORE: Oasis have released new tickets for UK tour – how to buy yours if you missed out

The likes of Champagne Supernova, Supersonic, Slide Away and more were performed tonight, with Noel pausing for a few bars while singing Half The World Away to take in the scenes in front of him.

After leaving the stage at the end of the night, fans stomped and cheered as they demanded an encore.

They returned to sing the likes of The Masterplan, Don’t Look Back In Anger and Wonderwall before Liam thanked fans for supporting them.

He said: “Thank you, beautiful people. This is it. Nice one for putting up with us over the years. We are hard work, we get it. ” He briefly paused before announcing the final song – Champagne Supernova.

“Nice one for coming out,” he added with his arms, as per usual, behind his back.

Liam made several cheeky comments throughout the night. Earlier, he appeared to indicate someone in the audience, he said: “I see you’re still on the glue down here then? ”

READ MORE: Oasis LIVE: First review as Liam and Noel Gallagher kick off 2025 tour in Cardiff

Referencing the dynamic price surges, Liam at one point asked the crowd: “Are you having a good time? Is it worth the £40,000 you paid for a ticket? “

The hotly-anticipated tour was the culmination of months of speculation, a feverish ticket sale and a long 16 year wait from fans.

A shock comeback was unveiled in August 2024, with the band declaring: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.”

A chaotic rush for tickets followed with 17 dates announced across London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Dublin before the band announced more concerts in North America, Mexico, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Chile and Argentina – giving fans around the world the chance to hear the hits live again.

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Charmed and Nip/Tuck actor Julian McMahon has died aged 56 after a private battle with cancer. He passed away in Clearwater, Florida, on July 2, with his wife paying tribute to the ‘beloved’ Charmed star.

“With an open heart, I wish to share with the world that my beloved husband, Julian McMahon, died peacefully this week after a valiant effort to overcome cancer,” Kelly McMahon told Deadline.

“Julian loved life. He loved his family. He loved his friends. He loved his work, and he loved his fans. His deepest wish was to bring joy into as many lives as possible. We ask for support during this time to allow our family to grieve in privacy. And we wish for all of those to whom Julian brought joy, to continue to find joy in life. We are grateful for the memories. ”

The Australian star, who was the son of former Prime Minister Billy McMahon, started his career as a model before getting into acting in the late 80s. He appeared in Home and Away between 1990 and 1991 before making his feature acting debut opposite Elliott Gould in Wet and Wild Summer!

He soon moved to Hollywood to focus on his acting career and appeared in NBC’s Another World in 1993 before getting roles in Profiler and then Charmed as Cole Turner.

Fans may know him from when he landed his first series lead in Ryan Murphy’s Nip/Tuck, which ran for six seasons and gained a Golden Globe nomination for his role as Dr Christian Troy.

With his popularity as a leading man, he soon starred in FBI: Most Wanted as Jess LaCroix for three seasons before leaving in 2022. His final two movies were as Scally in The Surfer and Chick Carlson in The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat.

He also played Prime Minister Stephen Roos in Netflix’s The Residence this year. Not only was he a hit leading man, but he also voiced Dr Doom in the 2005 Fantastic Four video game.

Julian married Dannii Minogue in 1994 after meeting her on the set of Home and Away a few years prior. He even starred in her music video for This Is It, which was about the couple’s relationship.

They spent a lot of time apart due to his busy career in the US and her career in the UK. A year and a half later, they went their separate ways.

In 1999, he married Baywatch star Brooke Burns, with the two welcoming a daughter in 2000 before their split in 2001. He then married for a third time in 2014 to Kelly Paniagua.

He previously spoke about being in America while feeling Australian. He said: ” “I feel like I’m Australian on the inside and American on the outside or something. I would never want to leave it behind either.

“I love Australians, Australianisms, I love my part of being Australian. I love where I grew up and how I grew up and, you know, I wouldn’t change it for the world. “

The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. If you need to talk, call us on 0808 808 0000.

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