VANESSA Feltz has honoured her friend Fiona Phillips with a touching tribute following the news that she has Alzheimer's.
The TalkTV host, 61, described Fiona as an "exceptional woman" following the former GMTV star's admission that she has the disease.
Vanessa explained to viewers of her show that she has known 62-year-old Fiona for more than three decades and credited her "courageous" decision to speak publicly about her diagnosis.
The star said on Wednesday: “I’ve been friendly with Fiona Phillips for about 35 years - Lorraine Kelly and I were talking about it this morning.
"We all started off in this business so long ago together and she’s one of the brightest and most exciting and insightful women I’ve ever known and I really mean it.
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"I’m not just saying it - you could have asked me any day for years, I would have told you that about her."
Vanessa continued: “She’s a really, really fun, funny, bright, effective, dynamic, exceptional woman and I just send her so much love today because I realise how incredibly difficult this is for her and for her family."
Describing the news as a "huge shock", she went on to commend Fiona's bravery in speaking out this week.
Vanessa said: “I couldn’t admire her more than I do today because I think it’s probably the most courageous thing she’ll ever do in her entire life. It’s quite remarkable.”
Fiona opened up on Tuesday about the "heartbreaking" revelation that she has Alzheimer's.
The condition has already devastated her family, with both of her late parents - Neville and Amy - dying from the disease.
Fiona has tragic memories of their deterioration and has been living with the knowledge for the last 18 months that she now has it too.
The news anchor and TV host told The Mirror: "This disease has ravaged my family and now it has come for me.
"And all over the country there are people of all different ages whose lives are being affected by it - it’s heartbreaking.
"I just hope I can help find a cure which might make things better for others in the future."
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Fiona continued: “It’s something I might have thought I’d get at 80. But I was still only 61 years old.
“I felt more angry than anything else because this disease has already impacted my life in so many ways; my poor mum was crippled with it, then my dad, my grandparents, my uncle. It just keeps coming back for us.”
She is being supported by her husband Martin Frizell, 64, who is the editor of ITV's This Morning.
He said he "felt sick" upon learning of the diagnosis.
Fiona, who is mum to sons Mackenzie and Nathaniel, added: “It’s a horrible bloody secret to divulge.”
Martin also told the publication that their sons have both been tested to see if they have also inherited the condition.
But he explained: "When the results came back as negative it was a huge moment - such an enormous sense of relief.
"There’s no Alzheimer’s on my side of the family and thank goodness it seems the boys have not inherited from Fiona’s side of the family."
Meanwhile, ITV anchor Lorraine Kelly has also spoken out following the sad news.
In a touching tribute on her show Lorraine she described Fiona as "superwoman" and told telly medic Dr Hilary Jones: "It's really sad news but she's [Fiona's] being really brave, really optimistic as we would expect.
"It's a cruel, horrible disease."
Good Morning Britain anchor Susanna Reid has also sent her best wishes to the star during an on-screen address.
She said: "We're all sending our huge best wishes to Fiona Phillips because of course well known to all of you as the former presenter of GMTV for more than a decade I think and just a hugely popular presenter and journalist.
"We all know and love her, she's also been an incredible advocate for families living with Alzheimer's."
- Watch or listen to Vanessa's drivetime show from Monday to Friday, 4-7pm, on TalkTV and Talk Radio.
