Broadcaster John Stapleton has provided an update on his Parkinson’s disease, as he told former colleagues Eamonn Holmes and Penny Smith “for me, it’s over”.
Speaking to GB News in a special breakfast TV reunion, Mr Stapleton admitted he would be a “very unusual person” if he didn’t, from time to time, “just sit there and think, God, how life has changed”.
Reflecting on his 17 years working with Penny Smith, Mr Stapleton admitted there was “never a dull moment” presenting alongside her.
Discussing his Parkinson’s disease, Mr Stapleton told Eamonn and Ellie that he is trying to “think positive” about his condition.
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He revealed: “It’ll only get worse, but thinking positive about it, lots of people live only a normal life with Parkinson’s, so I’m aiming to do the same. I’m taking the tablets, I’m doing the exercises my expert tells me to do, and I’m speaking as well as I can because I need a speech therapist to talk more slowly and more clearly.
“I also have difficulty swallowing, and the latest thing is I’ve had difficulty with my balance, so I’ve got a stick by my side all the time now. But you know, I’m learning to live with it, and doing my best to overcome it.”
Opening up on his own issues with mobility, Eamonn asked Mr Stapleton how he is coping with travelling around and going to places such as football games, something the presenting pair used to do together.
Eamonn admitted: “I’m stuck in a wheelchair with huge mobility problems, neurological as well, with the discs in my back and how it affects your legs, the biggest issue for me is football.
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“You’re a big Man City supporter and you and me would often be on trains together and up in Manchester, but accessibility is difficult, it’s very hard, has it stopped you going?”
Mr Stapleton responded: “I’m going to go to the first game of the season on Saturday with my son Nick, and he’ll look after me, I’ll be okay.”
As Ellie highlighted his positive outlook on his condition, Mr Stapleton stated that he “can’t do anything about it”, so there’s “no point moaning about it”.
Mr Stapleton said: “I try to make it light of it as much as I possibly can. I hate to sit in judgment, but I do watch the news, like you I’m sure, in a very meticulous way, thinking ‘why are they saying that?’, but we’re out of it now. For me it’s over, so there’s no point in sitting there harping about what’s going on now.
“I had a great run, I was in the business of television for 45 years. I had some ups and downs like we all have from time to time, but I have absolutely no complaints. I was damn lucky.”
Asked by Eamonn what the future holds for him and his Parkinson’s disease, Mr Stapleton said his plan is “surviving”.
He told GB News: “The future is surviving, basically. Doing my best to cope with this, this downturn in my lifestyle, really. But as I say, I could be far worse off. I’ve got great mates, a lovely son and a lovely daughter-in-law.”
Reflecting on his friendship with Penny Smith, Mr Stapleton concluded that there was “never a dull moment”, and they still keep in touch.
He said: “There’s never a dull moment with Penny Smith, never a dull moment. She used to play tricks on me, one of my jobs at the end of the hour was to do the brief weather forecasts, which is on autocue.
“And after I’d gone down to the studio, she’d gone and changed the autocue, so one time it came up and said, ‘if you’re waking up this morning, you may experience damp patches’.”