Tony Christie battles dementia at 83

The singer behind (Is This the Way to) Amarillo was diagnosed with dementia in 2023 after struggling with his daily crosswords.

Wife Sue is his rock

Christie credits his wife Sue for being his biggest support. She first encouraged him to see a doctor when she noticed something wasn't right.

“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.”

She keeps him on track

Sue helps Tony remember people's names and keeps him organized about what he needs to do and where he needs to be.

“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.”

Laughter is their secret

The couple married in 1968 and have three children. Tony says sharing the same sense of humor is one of the secrets to their relationship.

“I think we share the same sense of humour and we both love to laugh. That's one of the secrets to our relationship.”

Music helps manage symptoms

Tony credits music with helping keep his dementia symptoms at bay. Songs like The Folks Who Live On The Hill hold special meaning for him and Sue.

Still touring through 2027

Since his diagnosis, Tony has continued performing. His Farewell tour kicked off in August 2025 and runs through mid 2027.

Work is therapy for him

Tony says he doesn't let dementia slow him down. He's still recording new material and touring because work keeps him happy and healthy.

“Work is therapy for me so it keeps me happy and healthy. I think my knees will stop me faster than dementia!”

He needs longer breaks now

At 83, Tony has slowed down. He needs longer breaks between performing, more sleep, and relies on an autocue to remember song lyrics.

He jokes about his condition

Tony is not ashamed of having dementia. He often makes jokes about forgetting the names of his band members during performances.

“I never want to pretend I don't have it, or be ashamed of it.”

Medication has really helped

Tony urges newly diagnosed people not to hide symptoms or delay medical help. His doctor has been brilliant and medication has made a difference.

Nearly one million affected in UK

Tony points out that nearly one million people in the UK have dementia, though it doesn't get talked about as much as other diseases like cancer.

Life isn't over with dementia

Tony's message to newly diagnosed people is that their life isn't over. Some things change, but you can still do the things you love.

“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.”

Surprise appearance at radio launch

Last Sunday, Tony made a surprise appearance at the m4dRADIO switch-on party, celebrating music for everyone living with dementia.

Dancing at Dementia Disco

Tony and Sue joined people with dementia and their carers for an afternoon of music and dancing at the monthly Dementia Disco event in Merton.

m4dRADIO comes to DAB

The switch-on party marked m4dRADIO's arrival on DAB radio across South and West London, making it easier to access through digital radios.

Making music more accessible

The service offers ad-free, 24/7 music without news or presenters. Tony says it's making music easier to use for people like him and Sue.

“Sometimes you just want to switch on a radio and have the music that you love right there.”