Former Emmerdale star Charley Webb was overcome with emotion as she opened up about her mother Helen’s devastating battle with early-onset dementia, admitting the diagnosis left her feeling “very isolated” and struggling with overwhelming guilt.
Speaking on the The Life Of Bryony podcast hosted by Bryony Gordon, the actress, 37, revealed that learning of her mum’s condition was the loneliest moment of her life. Helen was diagnosed a decade ago at just 64, a revelation Charley first shared publicly in 2023 after years of keeping the pain private.
Charley explained that she chose to finally speak out to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s Research UK, where she is an ambassador, and to reach others enduring the same silent heartbreak. She admitted she had felt selfish staying quiet when she knew how alone the diagnosis had made her feel, adding that she had never experienced isolation like it.
Yet the decision to talk publicly was deeply conflicted. Charley revealed her mother, once a glamorous and larger-than-life figure, would never have wanted her illness discussed. She said she could still hear Helen’s voice telling her not to tell anyone, which left Charley torn between protecting her mum’s dignity and helping others feel less alone.
Fighting back tears, Charley confessed she still hasn’t fully processed the loss, describing dementia as a double grief — mourning the person while they are still alive and then again when they are gone.
The most heartbreaking moment came when Charley admitted she struggles to visit her mum, who now lives in a care home. Visibly shaken, she said she finds it incredibly hard to face the reality that the woman she visits is no longer the mother she knew and loved. She openly acknowledged feeling selfish for dreading visits, describing them as painful reminders of everything she has lost.
Charley stressed she knows some people may judge her honesty, but insisted many families quietly feel the same way. She explained that dementia is relentless, with no hopeful updates to share, making even well-meaning questions about her mum emotionally exhausting.
Reflecting on the early signs, Charley said her mother was once heavily involved in her career and was the first person she noticed becoming forgetful. What others dismissed as drama, she instinctively knew was something far more serious.
She described the diagnosis process as long, stressful and traumatic — made even harder as she was pregnant at the time. Watching her vibrant, wild-spirited mother decline was, she said, “just awful”.
Now, after years of silence, Charley hopes speaking out will help others feel less alone and spark better support for families living with dementia. She admitted the decision to place her mum into round-the-clock care was the hardest her family has ever made, describing the last eight years as “hell” — but one she believes needs to be talked about.
