23 April 2024 , 10:40
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Jeremy Paxman opened up about his Parkinson's battle in a rare interview and said he considered going to the Dignitas assisted suicide clinic but soon changed his mind.
The 73-year-old presenter was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2021 and proceeded to step down as the host of University Challenge. In a recent interview, Jeremy said his Parkinson's battle is 'one of the most depressing things you could ever imagine' as it only gets worse.
The award-winning journalist revealed he considered going to the Dignitas assisted suicide clinic but decided not to as it would be 'very hard on those left behind. He said: “I saw the Terry Pratchett film [Choosing to Die] and I couldn’t help noticing how scruffy some of the staff were in dirty T-shirts. The lack of personal hygiene rather put me off.”
In a more serious tone, he added: “It is very hard on those left behind, too. It is a deeply personal decision, so I do think people have the right.” During the chat with Saga magazine, the star opened up on why Parkinson's is 'one of the most depressing things you could ever imagine.'
Jeremy was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2021 (PA)
The star went on to step down from his role on University Challenge (BBC / ITV Studios / Rachel Joseph)"For many people who are ill, there is the prospect of getting better. But Parkinson’s is degenerative, and that’s tough… to know that one will carry on being like this forever is terrible," Jeremy said. "I have a brilliant team around me and huge support from family and friends. PD may not be listed as my cause of death, as people don’t technically die of it, but it will almost certainly be a contributing factor.”
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In 2022, Jeremy documented how he had been "putting up with" Parkinson’s disease in a one-off ITV documentary, entitled Putting Up With Parkinson’s. Jeremy opened up about how the 'frustrating' disease affects his everyday life, from an inability to type on the keyboard without anything but 'gibberish' coming out to difficulty walking without falling.
The documentary followed the broadcaster as he chatted to other celebrities living with the illness as well as the leading experts in the area.
One in 37 people in the UK will be diagnosed in their lifetime and Paxman investigated and busts some of the myths surrounding the illness. In the UK, around 153,000 people are already living with the disease. Broken down, the figures for 2023 revealed 128,000 live with the disease in England.
During the one-off programme, Jeremy sat down in a pub with The Chase star Paul Sinha as the pair reflected on how Parkinson’s has impacted them. Paul, who has had Parkinson’s for four years, explained he had started ‘limping’ when he was formally diagnosed.
While Paul was aware of what Parkinson’s was at the time of his diagnosis, Jeremy shares that he ‘didn’t know at all’ when diagnosed. The pair then compared the movement of their hands, to see how slowly their fingers touch one another, as Paul showed his right hand was particularly tight.