Jo Whiley admits her mom Christine is a ‘shell of the individual she was once’ whereas ready for a number of operations as she prepares to take care of her ailing dad and mom over Christmas

Jo Whiley says her mother is a ‘shell of the person she used to be’ and admits this Christmas will be devoted to caring for her ailing parents. 

The BBC radio DJ previously confirmed her father Martin, a former electrician, was living with Parkinson’s disease and admitted his declining health had been ‘incredibly challenging’ for the wider family. 

And she says Christmas this year will be ‘a bit different’ while her mother Christine struggles with her own health issues and waits for three different surgical procedures

Appearing on her Dig It podcast with Zoe Ball, she said: ‘I’ve really found with my parents, my mum, we’re waiting for test results, we’re waiting for three different operations so she’s in less pain, so she’s a bit of a shell of who she used to be. 

‘My mum used to be a real force, so yesterday I went over there, and there’s a friend of ours, Emma, who helped, and we decorated the house. 

‘But it felt weird, it felt really weird, decorating my mum’s house, because I’m not used to that. Normally your parents decorate the house.’ 

Jo Whiley says her mother is a ‘shell of the person she used to be’ and admits this Christmas will be devoted to caring for her ailing parents

She says Christmas this year will be ‘a bit different’ while her mother Christine (pictured) struggles with health issues and waits for three different surgical procedures

Whiley’s younger sister Frances has Cri Du Chat syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that results in delayed development.

And the DJ, 60, says she is now trying to organise professional help for her mother, who remains on strong pain medication while she waits for herc surgery. 

She said: ‘She’s in so much pain and on quite a lot of painkillers that she’s not quite the same, so we’re trying to sort of organise some help for her, and for my dad, just to sort of come in and take some of the pressure away. 

‘But mum is desperately trying for everything to be the same, for Frances. She doesn’t want anyone to know that mum can’t cope or they can’t look after her so well, but the reality is, mum can’t walk at the moment, she has to use a walker, and if she goes out… she had to use a wheelchair the other day.

‘So it’s this weird game, we’re all trying to pretend that nothing’s different, everything’s the same, so they’re finding it very difficult having help from professional people. 

‘So that’s why you tend to rely on family friends and people who have know us for a long time to come in and just fit into the family and make it all feel normal, when it’s actually not.’ 

Whiley, who raises four children with husband Steve Morton, previously discussed her father’s struggle with Parkinson’s disease in July. 

‘We had been suspecting something was going on with my dad for a while, so it was good to get a diagnosis, and now we’re trying to make sense of it all,’ she told The Mirror. 

The BBC radio DJ previously confirmed her father Martin, a former electrician, was living with Parkinson’s disease and admitted his declining health had been ‘incredibly challenging’

The DJ says she is now trying to organise professional help for her mother, who remains on strong pain medication while she waits for herc surgery

‘It’s really early days, and he’s quite confused about it. Something like that puts everything in perspective and stops you from worrying about rubbish. 

‘Everyone will be dealing with those things in real life. That’s the reality of being my age; that you end up having more people to look after and more responsibilities.’ 

She added: ‘I’m a sensitive person, and it’s difficult for me not to show my emotions.  It’s good to share how you’re feeling. I can’t imagine a life where I didn’t cry. 

‘I wish I cried less and if I could take a magic pill to stop myself, I probably would. I cry when I’m tired, so I will suddenly break down for seemingly no reason.

‘Someone will ask what’s going on, but it’s just that I’m exhausted. If I don’t want anyone to know how I’m feeling, I’ll cry while I’m driving or swimming, and I have to try not to swallow loads of water! 

‘Sometimes, there’s just too much going on in your life and head, and the only way to deal with it is to let the tears flow.’