Remember When: My life with Alzheimer's

by Fiona Phillips

The Sunday Times No 1 bestseller

'I hope this book can show people a little about what it is like to live with Alzheimer’s. How frightening and confusing it is. But also how much life can still bring joy and be valued.'

Much-loved broadcaster Fiona Phillips was sixty-one when she discovered that she had early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. She had cared for her parents who had both suffered from the disease and now she was facing the same heartbreaking diagnosis – under no illusions about what it would mean for her and her family.

With courage and determination, Fiona set out to chronicle what was happening to her in the hope that her book would help others. From the tiny first warning signs – the inability to concentrate and the ‘brain fog’ she wrote off as the menopause – to the gradual loss of her memories and her growing confusion, she reveals how the disease progresses and how she copes. She also shares her experiences with the NHS and the systems that may seem hard for patients and their families to navigate.

Written with Fiona’s trademark honesty, Remember When is a compelling and moving memoir as well as a book offering an important insight into life with a disease that will impact many of us.

'Fiona is one of the strongest, kindest and bravest women I know and her honesty and resilience shine through on every page' – Lorraine Kelly

'Fiona and her family are just incredible! The strength, the love, the way they’ve handled everything with such grace and courage is so inspiring' – Alison Hammond

Sunday Times bestseller at no 1, as of 29/07/2025.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Mental Health, Biography

323 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 17, 2025

Reviews

[Sarah ♡ (let’s interact!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I am one of the first people to read and review this powerful and moving memoir here on Goodreads.
Beloved, British, television reporter Fiona Phillips (you may remember her from GMTV) was diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer’s disease at the age of sixty one. She gives readers’ a look into what it is like to live with this scary illness, and it feels almost like a race against time for her to document her memories down. Often with types of dementia, people can remember the past much easier than the present, so a good portion of this book is Fiona recalling past memories and experiences. Then she goes on to detail the first signs and symptoms she and her family noticed before diagnosis - which were initially put down to the menopause. Both her parents also suffered with Alzheimer’s before they passed away, so she knows exactly what this heartbreaking diagnosis means for both herself and her family.
We also hear from her husband, Martin, who bravely speaks about his own experiences with Fiona’s illness - how he is supporting and caring for her through it.

This is a moving and important read, about an illness that will impact so many of us in some way throughout our lives, especially as we age. I do hope there is some form of treatment/cure in the future to help more.

5 Stars

[Nicky Bale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was quite a hard read and I found myself crying without even realising. The book was a frank account of how Alzheimer’s affected a family and the way Fiona Phillips went from being a successful journalist and tv presenter to a shell of her former self. It was very humbling to read her husband’s account and to see his unwavering commitment to supporting her.

[The Book Review Café · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve just finished reading Remember When by Fiona Phillips, and it’s one of the most powerful memoirs I’ve come across. Fiona shares her journey with early-onset Alzheimer’s with raw honesty, describing the confusion and fear that come with the gradual loss of memory and identity. What struck me most was the way the book alternates between her perspective and her husband Martin’s, showing both the inner experience of the illness and the daily reality of being a carer.

Having nursed people with dementia in the past, and now being a carer for a family member with the condition, so much of what Fiona describes resonated deeply with me. It’s not an easy read emotionally, but it feels deeply important. The love between Fiona and Martin shines through, even in the most difficult moments, and the book also highlights how much more support is needed for families facing dementia.

This memoir is a brave and vital contribution to raising awareness of Alzheimer’s and the impact it has on everyone it touches.

[Michelle Cornelius · Rating 5 out of 5]

An honest and quite brutal autobiography of Fiona's life, how she cared for both her parents who had alzheimers and how she slowly declined into the disease herself.

A very hard read at times but I admire both Fiona and her husband, Martin for being totally authentic and stating the reality of this dreadful disease.

This book should be read by everybody as we all will have come into contact with someone who has experienced this or know someone who is a carer.

[Susan Mortimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly moving book

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A disquieting read.
I surprised that Fiona thought her symptoms were menopausal, given her age, but she was probably in denial.

[Rich ✧ ✭ ✧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alzheimer's is a cruel disease that so many of us have experienced in one way or another. Tragically for Fiona, she’s experienced more than most having cared for both her mum and dad who both developed the disease; and then at the much-too-young age of 61 she received the devastating diagnosis that she too had developed the illness.

This is a very raw account of just how cruel life can sometimes be and also just how important it is that we find a cure for this awful disease asap.

The book begins in 2023 when she publicly announced her diagnosis and how life was at that time. Over the next 100 or so pages she retells both her parents journey with Alzheimer's and how she lovingly cared for them both whilst at the height of her career, juggling two young children and whilst regularly travelling from London to west-Wales to do so. Those years would’ve been enough to break the strongest person alone. Her dedication to them both was so beautiful and inspiring.

Thereafter we get a chronological account of the lead up to her own diagnosis which already seems to have been possibly years in the making. You can feel Fiona declining as the book goes on and confirmation of this is given by her husband Martin who also gives a side-account outside of Fiona’s recollections. It’s really insightful and a really unique way of telling their story. Martin’s words are compelling, powerful and raw. It’s truthful, hard in places but ultimately raising important awareness about how devastating Alzheimer's really is.

With no cure out there obviously it doesn’t have a happy ending and you’re left with enormous compassion for Fiona, her husband and their young children. I have such admiration for them all and wish them all lots of love and strength. I applaud this attempt at raising awareness with the hope we plough more research and funding into finding a cure one day.

[Rebecca Garnett Haris · Rating 5 out of 5]

a deeply moving book…

I was raised with Fiona Phillips on the TV and loved her. When I heard the news she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s it seemed a pity. It was only when I read this book did I actually realise what it does to someone, what it does to their family. Her husband’s chapters were almost unbearable to read, their conversation at the end deeply moving. I really don’t know what else to say except it’s totally opened my eyes to this dreadful disease, and love and prayers for Martin, Fiona and all their family

[Julie Tombs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gut wrenching and incredibly sad book about Fiona Phillips and her early onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Fiona is just a year younger than me and I found it difficult to read about how her life has shrunk due to her dementia and the effect on her family. It pulls no punches and is brutally honest and all credit to her husband for helping her get her story out. She is obviously resilient but the struggles she has have devastated her life and those around her.

I couldn’t put it down.

[James Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what an incredibly powerful, inspiring and moving read. Having watched Fiona present on GMTV for years, I knew a little bit of her story, but my word, what she and her family have gone through is beyond heartbreaking.

To watch your parents fight and slowly fade away to Alzheimer's, before being diagnosed with Early On-Set Alzheimer's yourself, and then to write a book like this that's so open, so honest, so vulnerable - I don't know how that kind of strength is possible from Martin or her.

How this book is phrased speaks volumes for the kind of person Fiona is. She doesn't try to paint herself as this infallible person, nor does Martin - they present people who are doing their best to navigate the cards of fate that life has dealt them. They are real people, and this shines through - in addition to the love, trauma, good times and uncertainty for the future.

As somebody who comes from a family that has been significantly impacted by Alzheimer's, too, the difference this book can make is astounding. While it's a tough book to read for the obvious reasons, I highly recommend sparing some time to read it. Sending all of the lovre and positvity possible to the family 🫶

[L Womersley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant Book

Having cared for my Mum for 11 years with this cruel disease! Martin and Fiona have written a brilliant account of both living and caring for someone. Heartbreak for their family😔

[Jeanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heartbreaking and terrifying story of Fiona’s decent into Alzheimer’s. She is surrounded by such love and support and that’s so good to see. Felt tearful more than once towards the end, as it became clear how she is now.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sobering and difficult read.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember watching Fiona Phillips on breakfast TV and also the programmes she made about Alzheimer's and her parents. This book was a sad read; it is upsetting to hear how this disease changed her life so much. The last few chapters are a very honest and frank account of how her husband has dealt with his wife's illness and the impact on their family. I have to admire his honesty.

Alzheimer's is such a terrible disease it would be wonderful if treatments could be discovered to rid us of this.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book to read , very hard to put it down.

[Gloria Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautifully written book. This dreadful, cruel disease is only fully understood by those who have been affected by it. My Husband has dementia and both Fiona and Martin explained and described so well what we're both going through. My thoughts are with this wonderful lady and her family.

[Tina]

Really good book.
Brings home how anyone can get dementia and at any age. It also shows the impact it has on the rest of the family.

[Holleh Arani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very very good

[Sara Mcmillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in two days. Just to understand the disease how it doesn't just effect Fiona but her family. how they coped. It gave me a better understanding.

[Meryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never been a big fan of Fiona Philips but decided I would get the book anyway, and I have to say what a wonderful book, this lady has been through so much, both her parents had Alzheimer’s before she did and then to be diagnosed herself, such a cruel cruel disease and I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy, for anyone that is looking to buy this book, it’s written partly from Fiona’s point of view and some parts of it are written from her husband point of view and also by a ghost writer type of person, after reading this book my heart really goes out to Fiona and her family and also anyone else suffering from this cruel Disease or has lost someone to this cruel disease.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely moving- tremendous courage shown by Fiona Phillips and her family to put this book together in the first place. It is raw and honest showing the complete devastation caused by Alzheimer’s disease. Having watched her Mum and Dad both die from Alzheimer’s her diagnosis would be better understood by her than most others - she knew what was coming - how she and her family have held it together throughout is beyond me. Martin and her son’s completely devotion is amazing. This is an inspirational story that everyone who has a family member with dementia should read as it helps you understand their feelings and therefore be able to support them better. Thank you Fiona for being you!

[Nichola Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational

Such an appalling disease, with no support for the sufferer or their families. The government needs to fund drug trials and treatments. Fiona was part of my life for years onscreen at GMTV. I'm so sorry this disease has had such a devastating hold over her family. Martin is a great husband and father.

[Miss Bananahammock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobooked. I’ve worked with Alzheimer’s for years as a social worker and an Approved mental health professional so I’ve seen Alzheimer’s at its worse and it’s pleasantly confused. The agitation and aggression that her Dad experienced and the agitation and depression that Fiona experiences is a common sight in the care homes and hospital wards and I enjoyed that this story showed the reality when things aren’t great. It was so much more impactful coming from Fiona herself who was experiencing it in the hear and now. So much of Alzheimer support is around keeping busy, activities and looking for the positives, which I get otherwise it’s a very bleak reality. But so many sufferers are listless, tearful and frightened and this sad story showed the reality of that for Fiona and her family. Told from the point of view of Fiona and her husband which made it visceral. The fact that her husband had to finish the book because she could no longer speak complete sentences or remember she was writing a book was so sad. And you could hear the anger in her husbands voice (obviously because it was an audiobook but also in his words). One part angered me though. When Fiona’s husband left her he said she had checked out of their marriage and something needed to change. However this was just after the part where Fiona documented that he was basically away in Dorset in the pub or London working 7days a week, leaving her looking after the boys, cooking, cleaning and feeling anxious on her own. It didn’t seem to be a problem then for him. Thats how it read anyway. Very good.

[Aoife · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up as a daily deal this month. Although it’s a horrendous topic to read about and I don’t say that lightly, I recently read Emma Hemming Willis’s book about caring for her husband Bruce, who was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia, so my interest was somewhat peaked.

Fiona paints the picture, she was independent, stubborn, a workaholic, dependable, the perfect journalist. Then she started to notice things weren’t quite right with her mother, she seemed depressed, disinterested and beyond her age. Her mother was diagnosed with dementia in her early sixties, died and then somehow her father was soon diagnosed. It was unimaginable that two diagnoses and two essential death sentences in such a short space of time. Fiona tried to remain calm, presenting morning tv, driving back and forth to Wales and looking after a young family.
Fiona talks about coping, how the healthcare system treat people with Alzheimer’s and how things started to change for her.
We hear about the symptoms, the denial, the hope it was depression, menopause, long COVID, anything but Alzheimer’s.

We see the decline, the change and more of an input from Martin her husband as the book goes along. As he says, the pamphlets, the research and care homes are for the older audience, not people in their early 60s. Staying the ever professional journalists, this is Fiona’s last report, giving it her all and leaving no stones unturned so to inform, educate and personalise the story of Alzheimer’s

[hmaddox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

Such inspirational words beautifully written in regards to Fiona and Martin. Her life growing up as an adolescent and then into adulthood... her work, her travels and her parents is all written in pure honesty.
Fiona was someone I grew up with watching her on the television and all she accomplished and to now know that alzheimers has taken over is so sad.
I am very much aware of Alzheimer's and the path it creates for the individual as my mother also went through this there are highs and lows, there is desperation but there is light, it's acknowledging the person that once was and taking a step at a time each day as they are changing daily.
It's a cruel disease and one that maybe helped in the future as it has overtaken other chronic diseases, you lose the person over and over but testament to Martin and her sons for being there supporting, loving and living each day.

[Kate Voyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply personal memoir from the extremely talented Fiona Phillips, co-written with her wonderfully loyal and caring husband, Martin Frizell. The book touches on the trauma and stress Fiona experienced as she cared for her parents, both who succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease. This is made doubly distressing as Fiona finds herself diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. The personal accounts by both Fiona and Martin are moving, emotional and heartbreaking. In some ways I found the book cathartic as I compared their experiences with those of mine as both my parents had Alzheimer’s and I was the main carer for my mother. So Martins accounts particularly resonated with me.
The book also reminded me of how I remember Fiona’s sparky personality and beautiful smile when she was presenting on GMTV. A true journalist and irreplaceable.

[Lynn T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good read. Sobering and sad in many ways, but very relatable and something that too many of us can identity with. You really feel the weight of the journey they are on.
Alzheimer's is a horrid cruel disease which through both Fiona and Martin's words really reminds us how much more research, funding and work there needs to be done to help find a cure or better treatments. When Martin says that in many ways he wished Fiona's diagnosis had been one of cancer, because then there is always hope of a treatment or cure, it really brings home the horrid nature of an Alzheimer's diagnosis particularly when it is early onset. It's not an uplifting read particularly but Alzheimer's is not an uplifting experience. It is however a very honest account and imo well worth the read.
Read from: Jul 30, 2025 - Sep 14, 2025
Shelved as: read
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[Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite its depressing subject matter, this book was a pleasure to read. Unlike some recent biographical books I have read recently which have been dull and uninteresting, this is written in engaging and involving way. However, it is far from light and frothy and is probably best avoided by those directly affected by this terrible illness. Phillips and, increasingly, her husband, Martin Frizell, manage to capture a lot of of her earlier life, including her time as a popular TV presenter and managing the Alzheimer's suffered by both her parents. It then moves on to cover her own diagnosis and the increasing impact of the illness on herself and her family with candour and a certain amount of humour. Both Phillips and Frizell should be applauded for their bravery in sharing what they are going through by way of this book.

[Vicki Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having watched Fiona Phillips on my tv screen most mornings for years I felt partially sad to hear Fiona had been diagnosed with early on set Alzheimer.

I decided to audio book this one which is narrated on her behalf but with interludes by her husband Martin Frizell which makes this a book not only about Fiona’s experience, but also his.

This book is as poignant as you can image it to be. It’s a terrible disease which feels when more heartbreaking when you factor in Fiona’s age, and the years she had already lost to the disease with her parents.

Dementia needs urgent funding and fast. I wish the whole family all the very best and send them all lots of love.

[Alison Ormrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredibly honest and moving account of Fiona’s journey and what a brave family to share their experience with the world.
I watched Martin Frizell speak about this book on tv shortly before its release and was inspired to give it a go. I’m very glad that I did. Much more research is needed to learn more about this disease. It is devastating and affects so many and I hope that the book helps highlight this.
The book is sensitively written, very informative and extremely poignant. I, like many others watched Fiona on tv and she always came across as a warm caring person. The book was like hearing from a friend and it will stay with me. I’m counting my blessings today.