When life throws you a major health challenge, it often makes you re-evaluate everything that came before.
That’s exactly what’s happened with Fiona Phillips, who is opening up more than ever about her past, including a particularly tough moment in the spotlight: her time on Strictly Come Dancing back in 2005.
In an emotional excerpt from her upcoming memoir, Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer’s, the veteran broadcaster, now 64, admits she’s “blocked out” most of her Strictly experience—mainly because it was so emotionally bruising.
Struggles Behind the Glitter and Glamour of the Ballroom
Fiona recalls being paired with professional dancer Brendan Cole, and how challenging the experience truly was.
Rehearsal clips that resurfaced during a BBC bullying investigation show Brendan harshly criticizing her dancing—calling it “pathetic” and shouting in frustration.
Fiona says watching those clips now feels like reliving a nightmare.
“I really don’t remember much of that time,” she writes, “maybe I blocked it out because all I recall is the sense that it was incredibly traumatic.”
She added that she often felt on the edge of tears and emotionally exhausted, questioning why she was dancing in sequins while dealing with deeply personal family matters like placing her mum in a care home.
A Quiet Cry for Help That Never Came
Looking back, Fiona admits she never told anyone how overwhelmed she was—not even Brendan.
She simply kept going, stumbling through each rehearsal and performance until the pair were voted out in week four.
“What a relief!” she writes about their Bonfire Night exit.
Though she didn’t say anything at the time, Fiona later called Brendan’s 2018 departure from Strictly “karma.”
He was let go from the show after a long run and announced his exit tearfully on Lorraine.
Husband Shares a Sweet Memory in the Midst of Uncertainty
Over the weekend, Fiona’s husband, Martin Frizell, gave a touching update on how she’s doing now.
He shared a throwback photo of the two of them from Silverstone in 2022, where they were smiling together inside F1 driver Lando Norris’s garage.
What made the moment special wasn’t just the memory—it was that Fiona actually remembered it.
“She remembered meeting and chatting with Lando,” Martin wrote.
“She even recalled little details. It really put a smile on my face today.”
Holding Onto Hope with a Revolutionary Drug Trial
Since her Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2022 at just 61, Fiona has joined a clinical drug trial that she hopes will slow the disease’s progression.
She doesn’t know whether she’s on the actual drug or a placebo, but so far, the results are encouraging.
“My brain is in the same place as it was a year ago,” she shared in a previous interview.
“That’s amazing news for someone with Alzheimer’s.
I’d rather not have to be in a trial, but I’m so grateful I am.”
The trial isn’t without risks—there’s a possibility of bleeding in the brain—but Fiona says she’s proud to be a “guinea pig” if it means possibly helping others.
Her Memoir Aims to Shed Light and Offer Strength
Fiona’s upcoming book, Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer’s, is due to be published on July 17.
The memoir is expected to dive deep into not only her journey with the disease but also the highs and lows of her career—and life in the public eye.
It’s a candid look at a woman who’s faced everything from television fame to personal heartbreak to a life-changing diagnosis, and is still finding ways to stay present, stay strong, and speak out.
What Exactly Is Alzheimer’s?
For anyone unfamiliar, Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative condition that affects the brain.
It causes brain cells to die, which slowly impacts memory, reasoning, behavior, and even physical abilities.
More than one million people in the UK and five million in the U.S. live with the disease.
It’s the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.
Early Symptoms Often Include:
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Short-term memory loss
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Disorientation or confusion
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Mood swings or behavioral changes
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Difficulty managing basic tasks like using the phone or handling money
As It Progresses, Later Symptoms May Involve:
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Forgetting loved ones and familiar places
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Becoming agitated or even aggressive due to confusion
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Losing mobility and the ability to eat independently
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Eventually needing 24-hour care
While there’s no cure yet, drug trials like the one Fiona is on offer a glimmer of hope for slowing the disease.
A Woman of Courage, Still Sharing Her Voice
Even in the face of a life-altering diagnosis, Fiona Phillips continues to speak up, advocate for awareness, and reflect honestly on her journey—including the painful moments.
Whether it’s surviving the emotional storm of Strictly, navigating Alzheimer’s, or reconnecting with beautiful old memories, Fiona’s story is one of resilience, vulnerability, and above all, strength.
Her book will no doubt be a powerful read for many going through something similar—or simply wanting to understand.
Let me know if you’d like a shortened version of this for Instagram, a press release-style write-up, or teaser copy for the memoir!
