Jon Snow’s wife speaks out about impact of his Alzheimer’s diagnosis: ‘We felt people struck him off’
The broadcaster’s family have opened up about the realities of living with Alzheimer’s, revealing how retirement plans changed following his diagnosis and why they chose to share their experience publicly.
Jon Snow and his wife felt people “struck him off” after the veteran broadcaster was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
As the couple prepare to share their experience in a new Channel 4 documentary, 78-year-old news anchor Jon’s partner – neuroscientist Dr Precious Lunga, 51 – has spoken out about the impact of his condition ahead of the broadcast of Jon Snow: A Last Big Story, which airs this weekend.
Earlier this month, former Channel 4 News presenter Jon revealed he had been living with Alzheimer’s since 2023.
The documentary follows the couple as they navigate life following the diagnosis and explains why Jon decided to make his condition public.
Jon retired from Channel 4 News in 2021 after more than three decades at the helm of the programme, becoming one of the most recognisable figures in British television journalism.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, Dr Precious said about the aftermath of the announcement he was ill: “We felt people were striking Jon off. We felt that certainly.
“It wasn’t really due to malice, but a lack of understanding and knowledge about what happens when you have dementia.
“I think people are also fearful of Alzheimer’s because we fear we might get it ourselves, and with fear comes stigma.
“With stigma you either want to look away or cover up, but making this film… we wanted people to start having a conversation and dialogue about this.”
Dr Precious added the decision to speak publicly about the diagnosis came from Jon’s belief that people living with Alzheimer’s should not be written off.
She said: “He said, ‘If I don’t speak out who will?’
“It is something that affected his own mother and affects so many people. He felt that when someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s they are written off, but it’s not like you fall off a cliff.
“It’s a gradual degradation of the brain. It doesn’t mean you still can’t contribute to the world and he felt he still had so much to give, which is why he decided to make this documentary.”
Jon became a fixture of British broadcasting through his long-running role on Channel 4 News, covering major political events, wars, elections and international crises over a career spanning decades.
The presenter announced his Alzheimer’s diagnosis earlier this month, prompting widespread support from viewers and colleagues.
Dr Precious also revealed that the first signs something was wrong emerged after Jon’s retirement from television news in 2021.
She said: “As he was coming out of that, I noticed he was more forgetful and, as a neuroscientist, I thought something was going on.”
After the diagnosis was confirmed, Dr Precious said she struggled to come to terms with the news.
She said she “burst into tears”, adding: “It is a shock when you receive that information and it upended all our plans post-retirement for Jon, and we had to accept our lives were changing.”
Although she initially felt nervous about participating in the documentary, Dr Precious said she ultimately felt their story could help other families affected by dementia.
She added: “What helped me overcome it was the fact I am one of over one million people affected by dementia.
“That helped me get over the nervousness of telling our story. It is not the end and we are looking for opportunities to enjoy our life.”
Reflecting on how their outlook has changed since the diagnosis, Dr Precious said: “It’s not just about surviving – it’s about how we can live and thrive.
“We tend to live in the moment more now too. He is now very present when he’s there. Finding that balance is a constant juggle though.”
Jon and Precious have been married since 2010 and share a son, who was born in 2021.
Jon Snow: A Last Big Story airs on Channel 4 at 8pm on Saturday, 20 June.
