Radio presenter Paul Gambaccini, 77, has revealed that he’s been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
The veteran broadcaster – known for his shows on BBC Radio 1, Radio 2 and Greatest Hits Radio – shared the news in a statement on Friday (10 July), having received the diagnosis early last year.
“As Freddie Mercury once sang, you can’t turn back the clock, you can’t turn back the tide. Ain’t that a shame,” he said.
“In early 2025 I was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. There’s no denying it’s a serious condition with an uncertain future, but for now life goes on normal.”
The American-born presenter added that he will continue to host The Paul Gambaccini Collection on BBC Radio 2 on Sundays as well as his shows on Greatest hits Radio.
“I’m grateful for the kindness and support I’ve already received,” Gambaccini continued. “I will be as open as I can as things progress. For now, I wish to be given the space to keep on broadcasting the music I love to the listeners I love even more. These are the days of our lives.”
The presenter added that him and his husband, Christopher Sherwood, have been receiving support from Alzheimer’s Society following his diagnosis.
The charity’s CEO, Michelle Dyson, said that Gambaccini’s experience has shown “that there can be life after a dementia diagnosis”.
“Receiving a dementia diagnosis can be frightening but it can also open the door to receiving treatment and support. We hope that by sharing his diagnosis, Paul will encourage others to spot the symptoms and reach out if they are worried about themselves or a loved one,” she continued. “The earlier someone is diagnosed, the better the chances are that they can continue doing the things they love and live independently for longer, and plan for the future.”
A spokesperson for Greatest Hits Radio told The Independent: “All of the Greatest Hits Radio family are sending much love to our friend and colleague Paul Gambaccini for so bravely sharing his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
“We are so proud of Paul and blessed that he continues to call Greatest Hits Radio a home for his extraordinary talent. And we know our audience will wholeheartedly share his own desire to keep on broadcasting the music he loves to the listeners he loves even more.”
Gambaccini picked up the nickname “The Great Gambo” when he first joined BBC Radio 1 in 1974, having previously been Rolling Stone’s British correspondent. He hosted a show on Saturday afternoons, spending a total of 16 years at the station before joining the original line-up of presenters – hosting the show’s first-ever chart show in 1992.
He went on to join BBC Radio 2 and Greatest Hits Radio with various shows, while on TV, he reviewed films for GMTV and TV-am throughout the Nineties and early Noughties.
Gambaccini has become known for his dynamic style of presenting over the last 52 years and for championing Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band’s “Born to Run” – having regularly opened his shows with the 1975 track.
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