Tony Christie has praised his wife Sue as "his rock" amid his battle with dementia, vowing to keep performing despite the diagnosis.
The singer, 83, best known for the hit "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo," was diagnosed with dementia in 2023 after he began struggling with his daily crossword.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Christie said: "Sue is my rock. I fell in love with her the minute I saw her and I'm very lucky to have spent so many years with her. As we get older we support one another. Sue was the one that first encouraged me to go to the doctor."
He continued: "I was getting frustrated by my daily crossword and she could see something was quite right. She keeps me on track about what I need to do and where I need to be, and reminds me of people's names when I forget. I think we share the same sense of humour and we both love to laugh. That's one of the secrets to our relationship."
Christie and Sue married in 1968 after meeting earlier that year, and went on to have three children.
Music as therapy
As well as his wife, Christie has credited music with helping to keep his dementia symptoms at bay. He said "The Folks Who Live On The Hill" by Peggy Lee holds a special place in his and Sue's hearts and "always brings a tear" to his eye. He also named Ella Fitzgerald's "Someone To Watch Over Me" among his favourites.
Continuing to tour
Since his diagnosis, Christie has continued performing and touring, saying staying busy and involved in music helps him live well with the condition. He is currently on his Farewell tour, which began in August 2025 and runs through to mid-2027.
"I am still recording new material and touring, so I don't let my dementia slow me down," he said. "Work is therapy for me so it keeps me happy and healthy. I think my knees will stop me faster than dementia!"
He added: "I have definitely slowed down a lot though. I need longer breaks between performing. I need more sleep. And I need an autocue. At home I forget what things are called and often forget people's names. But I am 83!"
'I never want to pretend I don't have it'
Christie said he often jokes about forgetting the names of his band and is not ashamed of his diagnosis. "I never want to pretend I don't have it, or be ashamed of it," he said. "As I've gotten older I've started to rely on an autocue to remember song lyrics. I can't say whether it is down to my age or dementia - it's probably a bit of both."
His message to people who have just been diagnosed is that they are not alone. "Nearly one million people in the UK have dementia. It doesn't get talked about nearly as much as other diseases like cancer, but there is definitely help out there. My doctor has been brilliant. The medication has really helped, so don't hide your symptoms and put off medical help. Talk to someone right away," he said.
"The other thing I would say to someone is that their life isn't over just because they have dementia. Some things change, but you can still do the things you love. I try to remain really positive and enjoy life as much as I can."
Dementia Disco appearance
Last Sunday, September 13, Christie made a surprise appearance at an m4dRADIO "switch-on party," celebrating "music for everyone."
He and Sue joined people living with dementia, along with family members and carers, for an afternoon of music, dancing and singing at the monthly Dementia Disco event at St John Fisher Church Hall in Merton, south-west London.
The switch-on party marked the first step in bringing m4dRADIO to DAB radio, with the service now available across South and West London. Until now, m4dRADIO had been available mainly online. The DAB rollout means people in the region can listen through a digital radio to the station's ad-free, 24-hour music, which runs without news or presenters.
"Sometimes you just want to switch on a radio and have the music that you love right there," Christie said. "That's why we love what m4dRADIO is doing. It's making it easier to use for people like Sue and I."
Amy Shackleton, chief executive of Music for Dementia, said: "Music has the power to lift our spirits, spark memories and create moments of joy. We want everyone living with dementia to be able to experience that. Bringing m4dRADIO to DAB in South and West London is an important step in making that experience even easier and more accessible."
