Jeremy Paxman has shared a heartbreaking admission following his Parkinson's disease diagnosis.
The former University Challenge and Newsnight presenter discovered he had the disease after a fall while walking his dog in April 2021. Parkinson’s disease, which affects around 145,000 people in the UK, is a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years. There are three major warning signs; tremors or shaking, slowness of movement and muscle stiffness.
Jeremy gracefully bowed out of University Challenge in 2022, sharing he'd "had a blast hosting this wonderful series for nearly 29 years". He has since shared how the disease “makes you wish you hadn’t been born”, as he delivered a list of recommendations about the condition to Downing Street.
The TV star joined fellow members of the Movers and Shakers podcast – which discusses the challenges of living with the disease – to mark World Parkinson’s Day by presenting the Parky Charter and a petition with tens of thousands of names to Number 10. The Parky Charter has recommended a swift access to specialists for individuals with Parkinson’s under the NHS, the introduction of a Parkinson’s UK pamphlet for enhanced awareness and support and the implementation of a Parkinson’s passport granting automatic entitlement to specific benefits.
They have also called for improved comprehensive care, including regular consultations with a Parkinson’s nurse, and increased Government funding for research for a cure for the disease. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he is “very supportive of the excellent work that the Movers and Shakers do and the charter will rightfully receive the attention it deserves”.
Globe trotter with Parkinson's ticking off bucket list on mobility scooter
However, Jeremy said he believes the charter and petition will have “no effect whatsoever” on the Government. He told the PA news agency: “The fact that they (the Government) have ignored all their responsibilities to date indicates to me that they’re not going to get any better. And I suspect that the form of words devised by the Ministry of Health will confirm that.
The TV star stepped down from University Challenge in 2022 (BBC/ITV Studios/Rachel Joseph)
Jeremy paid a visit to Downing Street this week to mark World Parkinson's Day (PA)“I don’t think we’re going to get anywhere. You feel like you’re banging your head against a brick wall.” The Leeds-born broadcaster voiced his frustration with the public’s treatment of Parkinson’s sufferers. He said: “You want to say, get the f*** out of the way, that’s what you want to say.”
The 73-year-old added: “(Parkinson’s) may not kill you but it will make you wish you hadn’t been born. There’s nothing in it for the drug companies, it’s just more money for them.” In 2022, Jeremy documented how he is "putting up with" Parkinson’s disease in a one-off ITV documentary, entitled Putting Up With Parkinson’s.
Jeremy opened about how the "frustrating" disease affects his everyday life, from an inability to type on the keyboard without anything but "gibberish" coming out to a difficulty walking without falling. Movers and Shakers began in February 2023 and is described by Paxman as “good fun”. Caroline Rassell, chief executive of the charity Parkinson’s UK, said: “The Movers and Shakers are an incredible group of people with Parkinson’s who are using their combined voices to create a powerful platform for change. We support the principles of the Parky Charter, which echo the issues that the Parkinson’s UK community raises with us.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We want a society where every person with a neurological disease, along with their families and carers, receives high quality, compassionate care – and having a better understanding of diseases like Parkinson’s is vital in making sure we can provide the right care at the right time. That’s why we committed to spend at least £375 million in research into neurodegenerative diseases over five years, so that we can better understand these conditions and improve outcomes for patients.”
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