Viewers were moved to tears after watching Jeremy Paxman speak about feeling ‘depressed’ and ‘frustrated’ in his ITV documentary Paxman: Putting Up With Parkinson’s.
The broadcaster, 72, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 18 months ago and discussed it for the first time on film in the documentary.
The 60-minute programme follows Jeremy’s story of living with the degenerative disease, which affects one in 500 people and causes the brain to become damaged over the years.
Emotional: Viewers were moved to tears after watching Jeremy Paxman speak about feeling ‘depressed’ and ‘frustrated’ in his ITV documentary Paxman: Putting Up With Parkinson’s
In the programme, Jeremy admitted he is on mood enhancers after suffering with depression and feeling ‘frustrated’ since his Parkinson’s diagnosis.
He candidly spoke about his struggles with coming to terms with the disease and managing his symptoms, but insisted he doesn’t want sympathy from people.
Taking to Twitter, viewers admitted they were ‘moved to tears’ by his ‘courage’ in speaking about living with Parkinson’s disease in the ‘powerful’ documentary.
One viewer wrote: ‘Pretty much moved to tears watching #jeremypaxman and other brave souls deal with the life changing effects of #parkinsons #puttingupwithparkinsons.’
Disease: The broadcaster, 72, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 18 months ago and discussed it for the first time on film in the documentary
Another said, ‘so moving and insightful’, while a third added: ‘I have to admit I shed a tear, very informative & thought provoking.’
A fourth wrote: ‘Just watched #PuttingUpWithParkinsons with Jeremy Paxman on @itv
‘Also on the show, my #RoundBritainQuiz chum @paulsinha It was tremendously moving and congratulations to all involved in its making. Unmissable. #amazingbravery.’
A fifth penned: ‘Brave and enlightening documentary from @JeremyPaxman Uplifting, supportive and delivered in true Paxman style. This will have helped raise awareness and understanding.’
‘So moving’: And viewers admitted they were moved to tears after watching Jeremy candidly discuss his ‘frustration’ with Parkinson’s disease as he battled with his symptoms
Another tweeted: ‘I’ve just watched Jeremy Paxman ‘Putting up with Parkinson’s.’ So moving. It’s a savage condition.’
The documentary saw Jeremy investigate the degenerative disease and meet with doctors and Parkinson’s sufferers – including The Chase’s Paul Sinha and Vicar of Dibley writer Paul Mayhew Archer.
Jeremy also met Sharon Osbourne, whose husband Ozzy suffers with the disease, while the presenter also made the decision to donate his brain to Parkinson’s research after his death.
At the start of the programme, Jeremy spoke about how some of his Parkinson’s symptoms have affected his day-to-day life, admitting he struggles with writing and can’t type anymore.
He said: ‘I’ve written lots of books, I enjoy writing. When you get the right words for what you are trying to say, it’s satisfying.
Difficulties: Jeremy admitted he is on mood enhancers after suffering with depression since his Parkinson’s diagnosis. Jeremy is pictured doing facial exercises to manage his symptoms
‘I can’t type, it’s really annoying, I write something and it turns out to be gibberish. It gets me down a bit.’
Speaking about his Parkinson’s diagnosis, Jeremy said he was taken to hospital after falling over in the park, where Dr Angus Kennedy told him he might have Parkinson’s.
The consultant neurologist admitted that he thought the presenter might have the disease after watching him on University Challenge and noticing his face wasn’t as expressive.
One of the main symptoms of Parkinson’s is lessened facial expressivity, which is also referred to as ‘mask face’.
Jeremy explained: ‘It was completely out of the blue, I was walking around the square, I had the dog on the lead and the first thing I knew was someone sitting me on a bench.
Diagnosis: Speaking about his Parkinson’s diagnosis, Jeremy said he was taken to hospital after falling over in the park, where Dr Angus Kennedy told him he might have Parkinson’s
Symptoms: The consultant neurologist admitted that he thought the presenter might have the disease after watching him on University Challenge and noticing his face wasn’t as expressive
‘I’d fallen over and made a terrible mess of my face. When I was in A&E the doctor walked in and said I think you’ve got Parkinson’s.’
‘I had no idea! I was 71 years old, that’s what happens when you get old, you fall over. Especially after a few,’ he added.
Jeremy admitted that he gets ‘immensely frustrated’ by his Parkinson’s disease in a voiceover, before he spoke to Dr Kennedy at an appointment at Cromwell Hospital.
Speaking to the neurologist, Jeremy spoke candidly about taking mood enhancers as he spoke about feeling depressed.
Scans: Jeremy admitted that he gets ‘immensely frustrated’ by his Parkinson’s disease in a voiceover, before he spoke to Dr Kennedy (pictured looking at Jeremy’s brain scan) at Cromwell Hospital
Mental health: Speaking to the neurologist, Jeremy spoke candidly about taking mood enhancers as he spoke about feeling depressed
When asked how he was finding the medication, he said: ‘They’re really good! I like them, I don’t get as depressed. I do get very depressed, I always have, but now I take lots of medication.’
When asked if he feels happier now, Jeremy joked: ‘Wryly amused rather than cheerful.’
However, Jeremy insisted that he doesn’t want anyone’s sympathy because of his Parkinson’s diagnosis.
‘I don’t want people’s sympathy. I just want them to say ‘oh that bloke has got it’,’ he said.
‘That is what a TV person would say to get someone to blub on camera, and I’m not going to! I don’t want to be involved in production of a film that will be more little me.’
‘I don’t want people’s sympathy’: However, Jeremy insisted that he doesn’t want anyone’s sympathy because of his Parkinson’s diagnosis
Scans: Jeremy’s brain scans were shown on screen as he was shown which parts of the brain signify his Parkinson’s disease
Elsewhere in the documentary, Jeremy also met with The Chase’s Paul Sinha, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease back in 2019.
Jeremy attended a comedy night where Paul performed, and the comedian spoke about when he was diagnosed on stage.
He said: ‘I fell flat on my face, it was 3am and I was p***ed out of my skull. So I thought it wasn’t anything serious, then I was told I might have Parkinson’s disease.’
Speaking to Jeremy after the show, Paul admitted that although he used to be a doctor, he didn’t align his symptoms with Parkinson’s disease.
He said: ‘I’d started limping by [the time of diagnosis]. I used to be a doctor, so the term limping gate were common to me, but I never thought that was what I had.’
Support: Elsewhere in the documentary, Jeremy also met with The Chase’s Paul Sinha, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease back in 2019
Medical training: Speaking to Jeremy after the show, Paul admitted that although he used to be a doctor, he didn’t align his symptoms with Parkinson’s disease
Jeremy admitted that he didn’t know what Parkinson’s disease was before his sudden diagnosis last year.
Speaking about managing his symptoms, Paul said he does facial exercises in front of the mirror every day because he has noticed he is ‘less expressive on TV’.
When Jeremy asked him about the positive things about the disease, Paul said: ‘It teaches us to make sure you do embrace and treasure the things you like. It’s been an action-packed stage in my life.’
Speaking about his own Parkinson’s symptoms, Jeremy said: ‘I feel OK. I have no pain or discomfort, I don’t have the shakes. I have nothing wrong with me, I just feel sleepy a lot of the time.’
Raising awareness: Jeremy admitted that he didn’t know what Parkinson’s disease was before his sudden diagnosis last year
Research: Elsewhere in the documentary, Jeremy also made the decision to donate his brain to Parkinson’s research and met with neuropathology professor Steve Gentleman
Elsewhere in the documentary, Jeremy also made the decision to donate his brain to Parkinson’s research and met with neuropathology professor Steve Gentleman.
Speaking about donating his brain, he said: ‘As I will have no use for my brain after my death, I thought, why not!’
During his meeting with Prof Gentleman, Jeremy was shown a brain that had been preserved for four to five weeks, which was donated by a Parkinson’s sufferer.
As he was shown the brain, Jeremy said: ‘Quite something to think this was a human being, everything this person was – how they loved, how they lived – all of that’s here.’
To which Prof Gentleman added: ‘You’re looking at the record of this person’s life, everything that happened to them is encoded in this.’
Donation: During his meeting with Prof Gentleman, Jeremy was shown a brain that had been preserved for four to five weeks, which was donated by a Parkinson’s sufferer
Managing: Jeremy then continued to visit medical professional Lauren McIntosh, where he practiced exercises to manage his Parkinson’s symptoms
Symptoms: He practiced walking while bouncing a balloon, walked with his knees up, pulled a resistance rope, and practiced emotions to keep his face moving in the session
Jeremy then continued to visit medical professional Lauren McIntosh, where he practiced exercises to manage his Parkinson’s symptoms.
He practiced walking while bouncing a balloon, walked with his knees up, pulled a resistance rope, and practiced emotions to keep his face moving in the session.
Jeremy admitted that he struggles to see the positives in his situation, saying: ‘I’m beaten and I’m dejected, you always try to tell me it’s not all doom and gloom, but it is all doom and gloom.’
The presenter wondered whether it is harder for the partner of someone with Parkinson’s disease than the suffer, leading him to meet Sharon Osbourne, whose husband Ozzy, 73, also suffers from the neurological condition.
She discussed how the Black Sabbath star uses cannabidiol, known as CBD, because, like Jeremy, he experiences unsettling dreams as a result of Parkinson’s, before joking that she will sneak the substance through customs from the U.S.
Chatting: The presenter wondered whether it is harder for the partner of someone with Parkinson’s disease than the suffer, leading him to meet Sharon Osbourne , whose husband Ozzy, 73, also suffers from the neurological condition
Humour: She discussed how the Black Sabbath star uses cannabidiol, known as CBD, because, like Jeremy, he experiences unsettling dreams as a result of Parkinson’s, before joking that she will sneak the substance through customs from the U.S
She told Jeremy: ‘[Ozzy] was always on something, he always loved to dabble with the old drugs.
‘But now he takes this stuff at night. What’s this stuff that everybody smokes? Marijuana. It is something from that — Cannabidiol.
‘I’ll bring some over for you, you’ll love it. I’ll bring it back for you, Jeremy. I’ll probably get arrested coming through customs — but that’s nothing new.’
The former Newsnight presenter jumped at the opportunity, declaring that he’s ‘on for it’, with Sharon insisting he must try physiotherapy to get his ‘a**e in gear’.
Jeremy also asked Sharon whether it is harder for those looking after someone with Parkinson’s, than actually having the disease – something she disagreed with.
Hard times: Speaking about Ozzy, she emotionally sad: ‘When I look at my husband, my heart breaks for him, I’m sad for myself to see him that way, but what he goes through is worse. When I look at him and he doesn’t know, I’m like crying’
Speaking about Ozzy, she emotionally sad: ‘I just think of my husband, and like you, who was very energetic, loved to go out for walks, did a…
