BBC technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones, 61, reveals he has Parkinson’s

BBC technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones, 61, reveals he has Parkinson’s Disease after viewers spot his hand shaking in TV report

  • Rory Cellan-Jones has revealed he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease 
  • The BBC technology correspondent presented a show from London today 
  • Viewers pointed out that his hand was shaking, and Mr Cellan-Jones announced his condition over Twitter – sparking hundreds of people wishing him well 

BBC technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones has revealed he suffers from Parkinson’s Disease after viewers spotted his hand shaking. 

Mr Cellan-Jones, 61, was presenting what was said to be the UK’s first ever news broadcast using a public 5G network, reporting live from Covent Garden in London today.

Viewers pointed out that the veteran journalist’s right hand was trembling throughout the broadcast, prompting the presenter to reveal his diagnosis, explaining his shaky hand was a symptom of the condition.  

Rory Cellan-Jones, 61, was presenting the UK’s first ever news broadcast using a public 5G network, reporting live from Covent Garden in London today

Using his personal Twitter account, BBC technology presenter Mr Cellan-Jones revealed he had Parkinson's

Using his personal Twitter account, BBC technology presenter Mr Cellan-Jones revealed he had Parkinson’s

Using his personal Twitter account, Mr Cellan-Jones wrote: ‘A couple of people have noticed my hand shaking in my live 5G broadcast today. 

‘So seems a good time to reveal that I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. 

‘I’m getting good treatment and the symptoms are mild right now – so I’m carrying on as normal. 

‘Onwards and upwards!’

The post has attracted hundreds of responses, with well-wishers, including fellow journalists, expressing their support for him. 

Pictured: A Twitter user points out that the BBC presenter's hand 'wouldn't stop shaking during that piece to camera'

Pictured: A Twitter user points out that the BBC presenter’s hand ‘wouldn’t stop shaking during that piece to camera’

The programme was said to have been the first live TV broadcast over a 5G network

The programme was said to have been the first live TV broadcast over a 5G network

Julie Dodd, from Parkinson’s UK, responded saying: ‘Really glad to hear you’re getting good treatment. @ParkinsonsUK is here for you if you need any advice. 

‘And if you’re interested in hearing about some of the new technologies being used in Parkinson’s research and treatment I’d love to fill you in (I’m our digital director).’

Ealing Central and Acton’s Labour MP Rupa Huq said: ‘Want to echo all the best wishes and hope treatment all goes well. Let me know if anything I can do at all as MP or just human.’

Viewers pointed out that the veteran journalist's right hand was trembling throughout the broadcast

Viewers pointed out that the veteran journalist’s right hand was trembling throughout the broadcast

Mr Cellan-Jones was educated at Dulwich College and attended Jesus College, Cambridge, achieving a BA in Modern and Medieval Languages in 1981. 

His BBC profile describes him as ‘watching the technology scene like a hawk for the last 15 years’, covering everything from the dotcom bubble of the 1990s to the rise of Google and Facebook, having interviewed ‘just about everyone who’s played a part in the story of the web’.

He is married to economist and former Vice Chairman of the BBC Trust Diane Coyle, and the couple, who live in West Ealing, London, have two sons. 

What is Parkinson’s Disease 

Parkinson’s disease is a condition where parts of the sufferer’s brain become progressively damaged over a period of many years.

The three main symptoms are involuntary shaking or tremors, slow movement, and stiff, inflexible muscles. 

Other symptoms include depression, anxiety, problems with balance, the loss of a sense of smell, sleep problems and memory problems. 

The condition is caused by a loss of nerve cells within a section of the brain called the substantia nigra, leading to a reduction of dopamine – which plays a crucial role in regulating the movement of the body. 

Many of the symptoms of Parkinson’s are a result of the reduction in dopamine. 

The precise cause of the nerve cell loss is unclear, with many experts claiming it is a combination of both genetic and environmental factors. 

The NHS claims roughly 1 in 500 people are thought to be affected by the condition – meaning there are an estimated 127,000 people in the UK who suffer from it. 

Most sufferers start developing symptoms over the age of 50, though approximately five per cent of people with the condition first have symptoms while they’re under 40.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk