Peter Andre has admitted it was ‘very tough and emotional’ to watch his mother’s health decline as she battles with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
The Mysterious Girl hitmaker, 49, visited his elderly parents in Australia over the Christmas period where he shared plenty of snaps showing his wife and children spending quality time with his mum Thea, 87, and dad Savvas, 90.
And after Thea celebrated her birthday not long after the family left to return to the UK, Peter has said that ‘it is never easy’ to see people declining as they get older, ‘especially when it’s your own mum’.
‘Difficult’: Peter Andre has admitted it was ‘very tough and emotional’ to watch his mother’s health decline as she battles with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s
Writing in his most recent column for New magazine, Peter said: ‘It was my mum’s 87th birthday last week and it was nice we were with her so close to it.
‘It’s never easy to see people declining when they get older, especially when it’s your own mum. It’s tough and very emotional.
‘Although it was difficult to leave them at the end of our trip, seeing mum smile and happy was the best – that’s what its all about.’
After returning from Down Under, Peter posted a slew of snaps to his Instagram sharing loving moments of their time with his loved ones.
Heartbreaking:The Mysterious Girl hitmaker, 49, visited his elderly parents in Australia over the Christmas period where he shared plenty of snaps showing his wife and children spending quality time with his mum Thea, 87 (pictured) and dad Savvas, 90
He wrote that the two weeks in his native Queensland ‘meant the world to us’.
Plenty of fans commented on the heartwarming pictures, and Peter replied admitting that his mum was ‘really struggling’ with the horrible diseases.
He told another fan that it was ‘cruel seeing it take hold’ of his mother.
In one image, Thea smiled beside Peter and Emily as they went out for a meal, while Princess posed alongside her famous father.
Peter captioned the adorable post ‘Making memories’ as he continues to enjoy time with his family.
Sweet: And after Thea celebrated her birthday not long after the family left to return to the UK, Peter has said that ‘it is never easy’ to see people declining as they get older, ‘especially when it’s your own mum’
It comes after ahead of the trip the Mysterious Girl hitmaker detailed his fears for the health of his parents.
The star told MailOnline that Christmas is ‘always an anxious time’, as he explained his attempts to visit Australia, where his parents live, more often.
Peter, who moved to Australia at the age of six, discussed his hopes of spending quality time with Thea and Savvas during a trip with his wife Emily and their family.
‘For me, it’s about seeing my mum and dad and the kids and Emily seeing them. That’s what it’s about, they’re getting very old now and it’s always an anxious time of year.
‘I went to Australia earlier this year, I’m glad to be spending more time there because of my mum now. So, I try and go 3 or 4 times of year if I can now,’ he told MailOnline.
Love: After returning from Down Under, Peter posted a slew of snaps to his Instagram sharing loving moments of their time with his loved ones (pictured with Peter’s wife Emily)
Adding that it is worrying to see his mother struggling more with age, Peter expressed his hope to ‘spend as much time as possible’ with her.
Last September, Peter admitted he is finding it hard to watch his elderly mother ‘suffering and declining’ as old age takes its toll.
He explained in his new! magazine column earlier this motnh: ‘My parents celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary last week. 67 years! It’s pretty amazing. Dad’s going to be 90 next year and mum’s 86.
‘Mum’s struggling at the moment, though. She’s not doing great. She’s suffering a bit and declining. It’s sad when they’ve been together so long that age is getting on top of them.
‘I was with her a few months ago. We’ve just got to be with her as much as possible. It’s just age. She’s got all sorts of things going on now.’
Taking to his Instagram the week before, Peter said he was ‘sad that age is taking its toll’ on his parents as he shared a sweet snap of himself with them.
He penned: ‘Happy 67th wedding anniversary mum and dad. Love you both with every bit of my heart. I feel happy and sad posting this.
‘Happy of course that they have achieved 67years of marriage together but sad that age is taking its toll and mum especially is really struggling.
‘I always pray for your health, both of you. I also pray that I can be even half the parent to my children that you both are to me.’
Brood: Emily’s two children Amelia, eight, and Theodore, six, were also seen in the album as they all spent quality time together as a blended family