Legendary TV presenter John Stapleton made his last ever TV appearance just months ago as he discussed his crushing diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease and how it was effecting him
13:04, 21 Sep 2025Updated 16:16, 21 Sep 2025
John Stapleton made his final TV appearance prior to his death just months before he passed away at the age of 79. The iconic broadcaster appeared on air back in June as he discussed his Parkinson’s diagnosis on BBC One’s Morning Live.
John revealed he had been diagnosed with the debilitating condition in October last year and was a guest on the show where he shared an update on his health. Speaking with presenter Janette Manrara and medical expert Dr Oscar, he said, “I’ve still got the tremor, which is difficult, it makes dressing difficult and a bit of a challenge some mornings.
“The speech is another problem because you may be able to hear me now loud and clear, I hope you can at least, but if I go into a room where there is ambient noise, like a pub which I do occasionally frequent as you may know, I sometimes have to repeat myself. It gets a bit monotonous and a bit frustrating.”
John explained the impact on his mobility further as he continued, “My limbs are getting stiffer. I am finding use of my left side is difficult, I can’t grip things with my left hand and I am also losing balance from time to time so I have to be very careful walking up and down stairs and getting up too quickly. I might fall over.”
John last appeared on TV in June to share an update on his health(Image: BBC)
He then sarcastically quipped, “But apart from that life is a barrell of laughs.” At the time John also discussed how he had seen his mother battle with Parkinson’s.
He shared, “My mother had Parkinson’s so I saw first hand what can happen to people with Parkinson’s. She went from a very brilliant outgoing lady to one who was a prisoner in her own home. That is not a prospect I am looking forward to.
“But having said all that a lot of people live almost a normal life with Parkinson’s and research is going on all the time, so think positive.”
He added, “I am doing the best I can. I have a lovely speech therapist who insists I talk more slowly and I have a keep fit lady who comes every week and absolutely knackers me.”
John passed away in hospital on Sunday, September 21, after contracting pneumonia. His agent, Jackie Gill, confirmed the sad news and shared that his family had been by his side when he died.
John – alongside his wife Lynn Faulds Wood – became a household name hosting shows such as Watchdog(Image: Getty Images)
She said, “John had Parkinson’s disease which was complicated by pneumonia. His son Nick and daughter-in-law Lisa have been constantly at his side and John died peacefully in hospital this morning.”
John was a household name for decades thanks to his work on BBC’s Watchdog and GMTV’s News Hour. He announced his Parkinson’s diagnosis in an interview on ITV’s Good Morning Britain in October 2024.
He said, “There’s no point in being miserable… It won’t ever change. I mean, Parkinson’s is here with me now for the rest of my life. Best I can do is try and control it and take the advice of all the experts.”
John’s wife, Lynn Faulds Wood, died from a stroke on April 24, 2020, at the age of 72.
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