Paul Gambaccini received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease in early 2025. The 77-year-old presenter made the disclosure public on 10 July 2026 in a statement that avoided evasion or exaggeration.
He described the illness plainly. There is no denying it is a serious condition with an uncertain future, he said. Yet for now life goes on as normal. Gambaccini continues to present The Paul Gambaccini Collection on BBC Radio 2 from 8pm to 10pm on Sundays and maintains his programmes on Greatest Hits Radio.
This straightforward accounting stands in contrast to much contemporary discussion of degenerative illness, which too often drifts toward narratives of inevitable dependency or calls for expanded state structures. Gambaccini’s words instead centre on individual agency and the sustaining role of private relationships.
As Freddie Mercury once sang, you can’t turn back the clock, you can’t turn back the tide. Ain’t that a shame.
The broadcaster, married to Christopher Sherwood, has received support from the Alzheimer’s Society since the diagnosis. He expressed gratitude for the kindness shown and said he would remain as open as he could as matters progressed.
"I’m grateful for the kindness and support I’ve already received. I will be as open as I can as things progress," Gambaccini stated. He asked for the space to keep broadcasting the music he loves to the listeners he loves even more. "These are the days of our lives," he added.
The accumulation of such personal testimony carries weight. It records a man confronting biological reality without self-pity or ideological overlay. Continued professional contribution, underpinned by family support, emerges as the practical expression of dignity rather than abstract rhetoric.
