Former ITV News anchor Alastair Stewart has given a heartbreaking update about his life with vascular dementia, describing himself as “vulnerable” and admitting that even the simplest tasks have become overwhelming.
The 72-year-old broadcaster, who spent over 30 years fronting ITV News and later joined GB News, revealed that he first started noticing problems when he would arrive too early for work and began making unusual mistakes. He eventually made the decision to step away from broadcasting.
“It’s very demeaning that I can’t even do up my bloody shoelaces anymore,” he told The Times, adding that he struggled to use an analogue clock or fasten his belt. “There was a general sense of discombobulation.”
Short-term memory has also become a major challenge for Alastair. He fears being scammed online due to difficulties changing passwords, admitting, “If you’ve got dementia, changing your password can be very complicated.”
His wife Sally, who met him when they both worked at Southern Television, said he deeply misses the sense of purpose, the adrenaline, and the opportunity to meet extraordinary people that came with journalism.
“He gets very frustrated. When a big story breaks, I can see him following it in every way he can, but there’s very little he can do about it,” she shared.
Alastair said he chose to go public with his diagnosis because he was “fed up with lying” to his friends about why he was withdrawing socially. He continues to engage with current affairs and remains passionate about the industry, but is painfully aware of how his condition has limited him.
He was first diagnosed after Sally noticed he was struggling with timekeeping and his agent flagged concerns over his emails. Colleagues at GB News also spotted unusual behaviour. Medical professionals later used a “clock test” — a well-known method to identify cognitive decline — to confirm the diagnosis.
Despite everything, Alastair remains surrounded by the love of his wife and their rescue animals in Hampshire, as he faces each day with quiet dignity and honesty.
