Jeremy Paxman has said Parkinson’s disease “makes you wish you hadn’t been born”.
The former Newsnight presenter spoke after a visit to Downing Street, where he delivered a list of recommendations on how to support people with the neurological condition.
He co-hosts the Movers And Shakers podcast, which discusses the difficulties of living with the disease.
The show also features Vicar of Dibley co-writer Paul Mayhew-Archer and former BBC journalist Rory Cellan-Jones.
To mark World Parkinson’s Day, the group presented the “Parky Charter” – as well as a petition signed by tens of thousands of people.
The Parky Charter has five recommendations:
• Swift access to specialists for individuals with Parkinson’s under the NHS
• The introduction of a Parkinson’s UK pamphlet for enhanced awareness and support
• The implementation of a “Parkinson’s passport” granting automatic entitlement to specific benefits
• Improved comprehensive care, including regular consultations with a Parkinson’s nurse
• Increased government funding into research for a cure
Paxman stepped down as the host of University Challenge after he was diagnosed in 2021.
The 73-year-old said: “(Parkinson’s) may not kill you but it will make you wish you hadn’t been born.”
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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has vowed that their proposals will “rightfully receive the attention they deserve” – but Paxman is sceptical that things will change.
Paxman said: “The fact that they have ignored all their responsibilities to date indicates to me that they’re not going to get any better.
“And I suspect that the form of words devised by the ministry of health will confirm that.
“I don’t think we’re going to get anywhere. You feel like you’re banging your head against a brick wall.”
He also expressed frustration at the public’s treatment of Parkinson’s sufferers.
The Leeds-born broadcaster said: “You want to say, get the f*** out of the way, that’s what you want to say.”
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Former BBC News presenter Mardell also appears on Movers And Shakers with Princess Diana’s divorce barrister Sir Nick Mostyn, and the journalist Gillian Lacey-Solymar.
He said: “None of us began our podcast with the slightest intention of becoming campaigners, let alone taking a charter to Downing Street.
“But the more we heard from our listeners throughout the series about the way they had been treated, ignored and misunderstood, the more shocked and outraged we became.”
About 153,000 Britons have been formally diagnosed, but 200,000 are estimated to have it. Two people are told they have the condition every hour.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We want a society where every person with a neurological disease, along with their families and carers, receives high quality, compassionate care – and having a better understanding of diseases like Parkinson’s is vital in making sure we can provide the right care at the right time.
“That’s why we committed to spend at least £375m in research into neurodegenerative diseases over five years, so that we can better understand these conditions and improve outcomes for patients.”
