Angela Rippon

I was an only child.

My mother, Edna, was a seamstress and my father, John, was a Royal Marine, and at war when I was born - so I didn't see him until he came home in 1947.

My mother Edna was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2004, and for the next four years I looked after her at home with the help of live-in professional carers, allowing her to live a life that was as near to normal as her condition would allow. In that way I was lucky, but it was still heart-breaking to see her decline.

Television cannot be seen as a 'job for life.' My CV is full of programmes that I used to present. I was the 16th presenter of 'Come Dancing,' the second presenter of 'the Antiques Roadshow' and the first presenter of 'Top Gear.'

It won't be easy for any broadcaster in the future to write off Fiona Bruce, Sian Williams and Gabby Logan when they reach their 50s. If they do, they will be wasting an incredibly rich seam of talent and ability.

Yes, there is ageism in television.

I'm all for holding back the hands of time, but going out dancing with friends sounds a lot more fun as an antidote to ageing than sitting on the couch with a cheeseburger, waiting for a vampiric-sounding elixir of youth.

Some restaurants and cafes are very dementia friendly - having a quick chat with a staff member when you arrive will help them to understand that they can help you by giving you a table in a quiet area or prioritising your order and clearing plates away quickly.

When I get a scamming call I tell them: 'If you have my number then you'll also have my name. And so, you'll know I'm Angela Rippon and a presenter on Rip Off Britain who knows exactly what you're up to.'

There is something truly satisfying about hearing the 'pop' of a locked joint as it yields to the hands of a skilful osteopath. It's a sound which confirms that, after months of immobility, something is moving at last.

I'm an Ambassador for Alzheimer's U.K. and follow new research initiatives closely.

I can go away for a week with a really tiny suitcase.

Fraud has boomed during the covid crisis, with losses hitting a record 2 billion. That is why it's imperative the Government does something to stem this pernicious tide.

I do a lot of daytime television presenting and think if you're rude about it, then you're being rude about people who watch it and enjoy it and get something from it.

Being able to feel the wind on their face or smell fish and chips in the air gives those living with dementia a sense of space and time and a welcome distraction from their symptoms.

The best thing about being a woman is that we're very good at talking to each other and sharing experiences.

I was born in Devon and I often visit Tavistock, my spiritual bolt-hole.

Remember, your bank will never call and ask you to hand over account numbers or say you must swap money from one account to another.

When I was holidaying in Greece as a young girl, I burnt my legs so badly that I could hardly walk for a week.

Some people living with dementia may become anxious in crowds and traffic jams.