Veteran Channel 4 journalist Jon Snow reveals Alzheimer’s diagnosis

Former Channel 4 News anchor Jon Snow has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, the Alzheimer’s Society said.

The 78-year-old journalist will discuss the reality of living with the condition in a documentary titled Jon Snow: A Last Big Story, which will air later this month.

Snow revealed he has had the disease since 2023, adding that before his diagnosis he was reluctant to see a doctor and insisted there was nothing wrong.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Snow reflected on how he still questions whether he has Alzheimer’s, saying: “I mean sometimes I doubt whether I’ve really got it.

“I don’t know if it’s widespread knowledge. I don’t feel disabled in any way.”

The journalist also revealed he was part of a clinical trial for the condition and has previously spoken about how his mother, Joan, struggled with Alzheimer’s in the years leading up to her death.

Alzheimer’s is the ongoing decline of brain functioning and can affect memory, thinking skills and other mental abilities, according to the NHS.

Michelle Dyson, the chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Jon’s decision to talk publicly about his dementia diagnosis is a real act of courage and his story will resonate with so many.

“His support for Alzheimer’s Society will help spark a national conversation about dementia that we so desperately need.

“Despite being the UK’s biggest killer, dementia is still not treated with the same urgency as other major health conditions like cancer.”

Ms Dyson added that Snow and his wife are “shining a light on the need for faster, fairer access to diagnosis” as she emphasised how important an early diagnosis can be in helping to support those with the condition.

Louisa Compton, head of news, current affairs, specialist factual and sport at Channel 4 said: “Jon Snow is not just one of Channel 4’s most recognisable faces – he is part of our very fabric and is dearly loved by viewers around the UK.

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“It is a profound privilege that we are able to document his last big investigation, in a sensitively made film that frames Jon’s current affairs nous alongside a new life lived with Alzheimer’s.

“We hope this film will go a long way to raise awareness of how to live whilst facing a life-changing diagnosis.”

Jon Snow: A Last Big Story will air on Channel 4 at 8pm on June 20th.