John Stapleton reveals Parkinson’s diagnosis at 78 in moving health admission: ‘It’s very frustrating’

Veteran journalist John Stapleton has shared the sad news that he’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, a disease he watched his mother suffer with before her death.

The 78-year-old is best known for his presenting on ITV morning shows, as well as fronting Naitonwide and Watchdog on the BBC.

The broadcaster appeared on a television interview on Monday to share the news and help to raise awareness of the degenerative condition.

His son, Nick, appeared alongside him in an emotional film. He explained: “Over the last year, I started to notice that dad was seeming more anxious.

“He wasn’t walking so confidently and he had a tremor in his hand. So two months ago he went for some tests and unfortunately a few days later he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.”

During the film, shown on BBC One’s Morning Live, he continued: “Parkinson’s is a degenerative disease of the brain and leads to the loss of nerve cells which produce dopamine, a brain chemical essential for coordinating movement. This can cause tremors, stiff limbs and a general slowness.”

Delving into the impact of the illness, Stapleton reflected: “Speaking is how I’ve earned my living for the best part of 50 years.

“It’s very frustrating sometimes, especially when people are constantly saying to you, ‘Sorry, what did you say?’ And you have to repeat yourself time and time again.

“I’m very pragmatic about this getting worse but I try to remain positive because what’s the point of not being?”

Nick added candidly: “Whilst the diagnosis is really upsetting for all of us, it didn’t come as a surprise because dad’s mum, my grandmother, also had Parkinson’s in the years before she died.”

“I witnessed my mother’s decline from a lively lady to a lady that was fragile,” Stapleton recalled.

“That’s one of the practical problems she faced, the inability to do things like opening a can of beans or peel a potato,” he continued.

“In the end, you know, she was sort of locked in her own house so her lifestyle changed dramatically. And I suppose mine will too.”

Detailing the help his mother received, he added: “The local authority here was very good and made adjustments to her bathroom for her to enable her to get in and out of the bath.

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“She had a couple of spells in hospital, in residential care, but she always wanted to stay at home and so that was her wish. I never did speak to my mother about it, I never would dare.”

Turning their attention to the future, Nick tried to get his father to open up about the support he might need, given that his mother, TV presenter Lynn Faulds Wood died in 2020.

“I want to remain as independent as I can for as long as I possibly can,” Stapleton shared before urging his son not to feel guilty about focusing on the practicalities.

“Let’s face it, that’s reality. My Parkinson’s won’t go away even with all the medication I’m taking and the help I’m getting from a speech therapist and other people, it’s going to be a bit of a struggle – it certainly won’t be what life was like a year ago.”