Caroline Wyatt gets candid about life with MS – and why she thinks the BBC will endure

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I was really struck by Caroline Wyatt’s use of the word “luck” when she was talking about her life and career. She feels fortunate to have begun her journalism journey during a time of optimism, and even now, despite the exhaustion and the fact that MS often leaves her confined to bed, she counts her blessings. It’s humbling to hear her acknowledge how ‘gentle’ her experience with multiple sclerosis has been, especially considering how severely it can affect others. She really emphasized how lucky she feels her MS developed, and it’s a powerful reminder to appreciate what we have.

On top of everything else, she’s constantly exhausted. “It feels like you haven’t slept at all when you wake up,” she explains. “And it’s getting harder as I get older [she’s 58].”

It’s been ten years since we first talked, in her London apartment, when she shared the news that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Now, as that anniversary nears, we’re meeting at the BBC. She hosts a 30-minute version of Radio 4’s PM program every Saturday, and she often jokes about how much help she needs from her colleagues to get it all done.

My vision isn’t very good anymore, and when I’m stressed or excited, it becomes even harder to read things on a screen. I now ask my colleagues to print out scripts in a larger font – I know it seems old-fashioned, but it’s much easier for me to manage.

Donald Trump is visiting today, attracting international media attention. Considering her extensive experience – reporting from Berlin after German reunification, covering Putin’s rise in Moscow, and serving as the BBC’s first female defense correspondent during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars – does she ever long for the fast-paced world of frontline reporting?

“Just a little,” she answered, and then launched into a story – even though she claims to have a bad memory, she’s remarkably good at telling them. She explained why she left her position reporting from the front lines. It was 2014, and ISIS was committing genocide against the Yazidi people in northern Iraq. Wyatt was there as a religion correspondent, documenting what she calls “horrifying stories of rape, murder, and revenge.”

After that experience, I realized I couldn’t continue that kind of work. Everyone has a breaking point, and I’d reached mine with witnessing so much suffering. I’m grateful for my incredible colleagues who will continue reporting on difficult situations, but it was time for me to step away.

She admits part of her fear was physical. She hadn’t yet been diagnosed with MS, but it was already affecting her strength. She realized that if ISIS attacked and tried to kidnap them, or something even worse, she wouldn’t be able to escape quickly enough because of her condition.

She now uses a walking stick to help her get around, and sometimes trips because of weakness in her foot. Her multiple sclerosis has progressed to a secondary progressive stage. To cope with her symptoms, she focuses on accepting her limitations and prioritizing rest. She explains that after working on a weekend, she needs to take it easy for several days afterward, hoping to regain enough energy to socialize by Tuesday. Learning to pace herself is a constant challenge; she often overextends and then experiences exhaustion.

Does she ever despair? “Yeah, of course I get down and depressed and despondent.”

She considers her weekend work on the program a crucial support. Despite the draining effects it has on her, she still finds live broadcasting rewarding, though she had to reduce her schedule from the full hour on Fridays due to exhaustion. She explains she was struggling to stay focused by the end of the show and feels grateful to still be working, but is uncertain about the future, both regarding her health and the program’s stability at the BBC.

Although she’s facing health challenges, and the future is uncertain, she remains optimistic. She believes that, like the BBC, things will improve. What she and others with her condition really need is hope – the hope that research will lead to treatments that can stop or slow the disease. She’s eager for those breakthroughs to happen soon.

The BBC is facing a lot of criticism, especially online, but it’s likely strong enough to handle it. In today’s divided world, having a public service broadcaster that’s accessible to everyone is more important than ever, as society becomes increasingly fragmented.

Wyatt prioritizes staying positive and finding joy in everyday life. While she doesn’t travel internationally much anymore, she’s finding pleasure in exploring different regions of the UK.

A study of her social media feed on X reveals daily repostings of beautiful paintings. She explains: “Algorithmically, I was getting war, killing, death, doom and destruction, so to influence the algorithm I went to other stuff, and that way it feeds me beautiful pictures every morning. Going to art galleries is one of the things I’ve started doing a lot more – sitting, looking and contemplating. It’s been a revelation. Although it’s quite knackering, they’ve got really good cafés – so tea and cake at the end!” More laughter.

She lives by a simple philosophy: appreciate what you have and be thankful. Her work really showed her how fortunate most people are, and she often reflects on how much luck plays a role in life.

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2025-10-07 03:28