NEWS

ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK has revealed that his wife Patricia Healey has been secretly battling Alzheimer's disease for a decade.

By JESSICA EARNSHAW

PUBLISHED: 13:27, Thu, Jun 22, 2017 | UPDATED: 13:33, Thu, Jun 22, 2017. Express.co.uk

The music legend spoke candidly about the “hard” diagnosis for the first time during an appearance on Loose Women today.

The crooner told the ITV panelists he hoped to raise awareness of the condition and funding after seeing his spouse of more than 50 years live with it.

Speaking to Christine Lampard, Jane Moore, Stacey Solomon and Gloria Hunniford, Engelbert commented: “It’s been going on 10 years now.

“It’s been very hard for us to discuss it publicly, but many of the fans knew because she used to come to my shows.”

Engelbert continued: “They could tell something was radically wrong. I was never ashamed of the fact - I would make sure she could see me and hopefully recognise me. She does recognise me.”

The star, who wed the mother of his four children back in 1964, said that some of his songs really hit home when he is performing in light of the situation.

Engelbert went on: “I deal with such tender lyrics on stage. When such tender nerves are touched and you’re singing something so sentimental, your eyes well up and you do breakdown. 

“The audience will sometimes not understand why. So maybe this, after 50 years, hopefully I can be a voice and be part of raising awareness and money for research. People in show business do that and I want to be one of them.”

During the latest instalment, Gloria, 77, was congratulated by her co-stars after it was revealed she was being awarded an OBE after founding the Caron Keating Foundation in honour of her late daughter.

Loose Women airs weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV.

http://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/820102/Engelbert-Humperdinck-wife-Alzheimer-s-Loose-Women-ITV