BBC presenter steps down from show after Alzheimer’s diagnosis as they issue heartbreaking statement
BBC Scotland presenter Janice Forsyth has revealed she has been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and will step back from broadcasting.
The 65-year-old broadcaster made the announcement today, explaining her recent absence from the airwaves.
The news follows a similar tragic announcement from beloved Birds of Feather star Pauline Quirke.
Forsyth, who presented The Afternoon Show and The Janice Forsyth Show on Radio Scotland, had been a familiar voice on BBC radio for more than three decades, interviewing notable guests including David Bowie and Billy Connolly.
The Glasgow-born presenter, who began her radio career with Radio Forth in 1984, said she will withdraw from social media but plans to continue work with her podcast production company.
In a statement, Forsyth revealed she began experiencing symptoms in 2022, including “deep feelings of anxiety and finding some tasks, especially navigation, extremely difficult”.
She initially attributed these challenges to exhaustion from her years as a freelance broadcaster and the loss of her mother, Patricia, the previous Christmas.
“I’d hoped that I was simply worn out,” she said. “But sadly, I now have a firm diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.”
The presenter described the diagnosis as “a huge blow” but expressed relief at finally understanding the cause of her symptoms.
“I’m managing to remain buoyant most of the time,” she added, noting she is now grateful to have time to enjoy music, literature, theatre and cinema for her own pleasure.
Despite stepping back from broadcasting, Forsyth confirmed she will continue her work with The Big Light, a podcast production company she founded five years ago with Fiona White.
“The company is going from strength to strength, and we’re excited for more to come. I’m not done yet!” she said.
The presenter expressed gratitude for support from friends, family and NHS Scotland’s post-diagnosis care.
In a message to her listeners, she said: “I never took my role lightly and hope I always gave my best, both for your sake and that of my interviewees.”
“It’s been a blast, and I send a high five to everyone who tuned in on Saturday mornings or on more recent weekday afternoons and heard something interesting.”
Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning for BBC Scotland, paid tribute to Forsyth’s broadcasting career.
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“Janice has been a hugely popular personality on our airwaves for many years,” she said.
“The many production teams she has collaborated with have appreciated her outstanding skill as a presenter on radio and television.”
Thornton praised Forsyth’s “warmth, relaxed interviewing style, and peerless knowledge of arts, music, and culture in Scotland and beyond,” which had made her “a firm favourite with audiences over the decades.”
“Everyone at BBC Scotland wishes Janice all the very best and we’ll be pleased to continue to explore suitable opportunities where we can work together,” she added.
A spokesman for Forsyth said: “She is in good form but it is incredibly cruel for somebody who spent a lifetime communicating with people.”