Veteran ITV presenter John Stapleton announces Parkinson's diagnosis aged 78

Transcript

00:00Speaking is how I've earned my living for the best part of 50 years.

00:04And it's very frustrating sometimes, particularly when people are constantly saying to you,

00:07sorry, what did you say? And you have to repeat yourself time and time again.

00:11I'm fairly pragmatic about the prospect of this getting worse.

00:14I try to remain positive because what's the point of not being?

00:20Whilst the diagnosis has obviously been really upsetting for all of us,

00:24it didn't come as a surprise because dad's mum, my gran,

00:29also had Parkinson's in the years before she died.

00:32I witnessed my mother's decline from this lively,

00:34ebullient, outgoing lady to a lady who was fairly fragile.

00:37One of the practical problems she faced initially was the inability to do things like open a can

00:42of beans or peel a potato. And believe it or not, I'm having the same problem to some extent

00:46myself right now, in the end, you know. She was sort of locked in her own house.

00:51So yes, her lifestyle changed dramatically. And I suppose mine will too.