BBC's John Stapleton 'trying to remain positive' as he reveals Parkinson's diagnosis

John Stapleton chats about Parkinson's on Morning Live

Veteran broadcaster John Stapleton, the familiar face on Newsnight, Panorama, and Good Morning Britain throughout his illustrious 50-year career has bravely come forward to share his recent Parkinson's diagnosis in a poignant documentary filmed alongside his son and fellow BBC journalist, Nick Stapleton.

John opened up about the impact of his condition, saying: "Speaking is how I've earned my living for the best part of 50 years, and it's very frustrating sometimes, particularly if people are constantly saying to you, sorry, what did you say?

"And you have to repeat yourself time and time and time again. I'm fairly pragmatic about the prospect of this getting worse. I try to remain positive because what's the point of not being (positive)."

Only last year, research highlighted that a hefty 74 percent of individuals would struggle to discuss care options with an elderly relative.

In the heartfelt documentary, Nick delves into how families can broach sensitive topics related to such diagnoses and the struggles they may face together, reports the Mirror.

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John Stapleton has revealed he has Parkinson's (Image: BBC)

Reflecting on his family's experience with Parkinson's, John disclosed similarities between his symptoms and those his mother faced, while Nick contemplates stepping into his father's shoes, considering how a child can support a parent with Parkinson's and tackle conversations about the future support needed.

Nick opened up about the challenges ahead: "It's early days for us, and thankfully, Dad is still fairly independent, but nonetheless, I want to start these conversations now to get some potentially difficult topics out in the open and make it easier for later on.

John, reflecting on his mother's struggles and facing a similar predicament, highlighted: "I am having the same sort of problem right now," conceding the issues with daily tasks.

John Stapleton is remaining positive about his future (Image: BBC)

He then expressed optimism due to his proactive approach: "The fact that I've had an early diagnosis, the fact that I've seen what happened to my mother firsthand is all a big bonus in many ways because it enables me to look at it practically, realistically and plan sensibly for the future."

On seeking advice for handling delicate talks about what lies ahead, Nick turned to Georgina Jones, a senior care advisor at Parkinson's UK. She suggested: "It's trying to talk about what support someone might need rather than what care they might need, starting with what they would like and what they're struggling with."

Georgina added vital insights into managing escalating care needs: "There's all kinds of equipment that people might need in their home. And that kind of small steps will then build up to something more major, decisions about if someone needed to sell their home, they needed to move, etc."

The complete film is now available on BBC iPlayer. Information and support for life-limiting conditions like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and cancer, as well as end-of-life care, can be found at www.bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Morning Live airs weekdays at 9.30am on BBC One.

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BBC's John Stapleton 'trying to remain positive' as he reveals Parkinson's diagnosis

BBC's John Stapleton 'trying to remain positive' as he reveals Parkinson's diagnosis

BBC's John Stapleton 'trying to remain positive' as he reveals Parkinson's diagnosis

BBC's John Stapleton 'trying to remain positive' as he reveals Parkinson's diagnosis

BBC's John Stapleton 'trying to remain positive' as he reveals Parkinson's diagnosis