Legendary newsreader Alastair Stewart shares health diagnosis months after retirement after suffering a series of strokes

Legendary newsreader Alastair Stewart has revealed he has vascular dementia just months after announcing his retirement. The 71-year-old announced in March that he was to retire after spending 47 years working as a journalist on local and national television across the UK.

The former ITV newsreader and journalist said on Sunday (September 10) in an emotional interview with GB News that his "very short-term memory" had become "tricky" and his motor skills "very tricky". He told GB News he visited his GP after beginning to feel "discombobulated" six to nine months ago when doing simple tasks around the house.

After relaying his fears that he may have early-onset dementia to his doctor, Alastair was sent for scans which discovered he had suffered a series of strokes and was officially diagnosed with the disease.

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The news came as GB News presenter Camilla Tominey revealed that the channel's new Westminster studio will be named in his honour. He was reduced to tears when he was told the new Westminster studios would be known as The Alastair Stweart Studios.

It comes after Britain’s longest-serving newsreader fronted his final edition of Alastair Stewart & Friends on the news channel back in March but informed fans he would be staying on as an occasional contributor and commentator on major news events.

He joined GB News two years ago before the launch of the channel and in his time there, had announced the Queen's death, led the coverage thereafter and also anchored the Queen's Platinum Jubilee last year.

As he spoke to Camilla about the diagnosis, Alastair also touched on the impact it has had on his beloved wife, Sally,