Britain’s longest serving newsreader announces he has dementia live on air

The legendary newsreader revealed his diagnosis live on air

Britain’s longest serving newsreader Alastair Stewart has confirmed he has dementia live on air. The presenter retired from his role as a regular broadcaster back in March after presenting for GB News since 2021.

'The thing I have found the most difficult to deal with, genuinely, is the impact it’s had on Sally, my wife.'@AlStewartOBE discusses the impact being diagnosed with early onset Vascular Dementia has had on his family.

? GB News on YouTube https://t.co/Wa58gYGZwF pic.twitter.com/4hhBgSoPNk — GB News (@GBNEWS) September 10, 2023

He also noted that he wanted to break the news on GB News because he felt they had treated him very well. He explained: “The headline story – and it is relatively dramatic I suppose – is about six to nine months ago, I began to feel – one of my favourite words – discombobulated. I wasn’t becoming forgetful, but things like doing up your shoelaces properly […] making sure your tie was straight, remembering that the call time for your programme is four o’clock and not five o’clock, not turning up early or late and stuff like that. “And I then decided at the ripe old age of my late fifties, early sixties, that I might have something wrong up here [taps head].`” Then Stewart went to visit his GP who eventually diagnosed him with dementia. Speaking in the interview on GB News, Alastair Stewart explained that the most difficult thing since being diagnosed with dementia is seeing his wife being “reduced to a carer”. He added: “I find it tricky, because your health through no fault of your own is reducing this person [his wife] who is the single most important person in your life to the role of a carer. “And so if you do think there is something wrong with you, then go and see the GP and listen to what he or she says. “But also do remember that the people you work with and the people you live with and share your life with are the most important people in the entire world.” Heartbreaking news.

'Did you also want to reduce me to tears? Because you have just done so.'@CamillaTominey announces that the GB News Westminster studio will be named after @AlStewartOBE.

? Freeview 236, Sky 512, Virgin 604 ? GB News on YouTube https://t.co/Wa58gYGZwF pic.twitter.com/sCBEU3sEdX — GB News (@GBNEWS) September 10, 2023

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