TV legend Alastair Stewart, 72, reveals he can’t tie his shoelaces anymore in heartbreaking update on dementia diagnosis
TV LEGEND Alastair Stewart has revealed how he cannot tie his shoelaces anymore in a heart-breaking update on his dementia diagnosis.
Britain’s longest-serving male newsreader, he retired in 2023 after a 50-year career in TV.
He has now revealed how his dementia prevents him from even tying his own shoelaces.
The veteran broadcaster said: “I’ve covered the Gulf War and run the very first television Leaders’ debate, but now I can’t tie my own shoelaces or choose my own shirt.”
Alastair holds the title of longest-serving male newsreader on British television, having done the job for 44 years across local and national news.
He began at ITV’s Southern Television in Southampton in 1976, later joining ITV’s ITN in 1980.
He left the company in 2020 and the following year joined GB News.
The 72-year-old finally retired from a 50-year career on TV in 2023.
Shortly afterwards he announced he had been diagnosed with vascular dementia.
He told The Telegraph: “There’s no point feeling self-indulgent about it.
“I won’t condemn myself to an awful life in the short term.”
While drugs are already available to slow down conditions such as Alzheimer’s post diagnosis, there is nothing for vascular dementia.
Vascular dementia is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, which damages and eventually kills brain cells.
This can occur following a large stroke, or multiple small strokes, according to the Stroke Association.
Highlights from his career include covering the fall of the Berlin Wall, the First Gulf War, and royal events ranging from then Prince Charles and Diana’s wedding to the late Queen’s funeral.
He also covered King Charles’ coronation for GB News.
Is it ageing or dementia?
Dementia – the most common form of which is Alzheimer’s – comes on slowly over time.
As the disease progresses, symptoms can become more severe.
But at the beginning, the symptoms can be subtle or mistaken for normal memory issues related to ageing.
The US National Institute on Aging gives some examples of what is considered normal forgetfulness in old age, and dementia disease.
You can refer to these above.
For example, it is normal for an ageing person to forget which word to use from time-to-time, but difficulting having conversation would be more indicative of dementia.
Katie Puckering, Head of Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Information Services team, previously told The Sun: “We quite commonly as humans put our car keys somewhere out of the ordinary and it takes longer for us to find them.
“As you get older, it takes longer for you to recall, or you really have to think; What was I doing? Where was I? What distracted me? Was it that I had to let the dog out? And then you find the keys by the back door.
“That process of retrieving the information is just a bit slower in people as they age.
“In dementia, someone may not be able to recall that information and what they did when they came into the house.
“What may also happen is they might put it somewhere it really doesn’t belong. For example, rather than putting the milk back in the fridge, they put the kettle in the fridge.”