TV soap writer to be remembered on Memory Walk around Willen Lake in Milton Keynes

The wife of a well known TV actor and script writer is taking part in Alzheimer’s Society’s Memory Walk at Willen Lane, Milton keynes, on Saturday (2/10), in his honour.

Rio Fanning appeared in several TV shows such as BBC’s The District Nurse in the mid-1980s as well as in Father Ted and Doctor Who.

As a writer, he was known for working on scripts for EastEnders between 1985 and 1995. During this time, he was also the storyline editor for the soap for several episodes.

His wife Karen, who lives in Northamptonshire, remembers her husband of 30 years for the ‘highly intelligent’ man that he was. Rio died three years ago with Alzheimer’s disease.

Karen, who is also known for her acting career, will join hundreds of other supporters stepping out at Willen Lake, on Saturday, in aid of Alzheimer’s Society, accompanied by her dog Peggy.

She said: “Rio loved his dogs and during his last year we sadly lost two of them. His decline was rapid from there, almost like he’d lost the will to live. It’s only right that Peggy joins me on this walk as Rio knew her too. She’s ready to go with an Alzheimer’s Society lead.

“Rio’s diagnosis came very late during the end of his life. I feel as a highly intelligent and creative man who was constantly writing and reading, he was able to mask the symptoms of dementia well, especially when it came to memory tests by health professionals.

“However, I could see the changes happening over time and it was heart-breaking. In his latter months he became very withdrawn, he couldn’t write, he would walk to the shops in his pyjamas and have shoes on the wrong feet.

“To see such a cleaver man become a shell of his former self was incredibly hard.

“After an accident at home, he was taken into hospital where tests confirmed other underlying health conditions which led to his death but a CT scan confirmed his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.

“I’m talking part in the Memory Walk to help raise money for research so others with dementia can have a better quality of life for longer. It is also important to keep raising awareness.”