Beloved TV host Fiona MacDonald, 67, announces her own death on social media

Beloved Australian TV presenter Fiona MacDonald has passed away at the age of 67 following a three-year battle with motor neurone disease (MND). Best known for hosting the 1980s children’s afternoon show Wombat alongside a puppet called Agro and the game show It’s A Knockout, the mother-of-two was diagnosed with the rapidly progressing neurological disease in November 2021.

Fiona announced the news of her death on her own social media with an emotional post shared by her sister Kylie on Thursday. The gallery included a photo of Fiona with her two sons and Fiona and Kylie enjoying the sunset alongside a lengthy caption detailing her final moments.

“Farewell my friends. My sister Kylie is posting this because I have left the building - Hopefully I’m looking down from a cloud,” she wrote. “Last night brought an end to a very tough few months. Was very peaceful the boys and Kylie stayed with me to say goodbye. While I’ve never wanted to die, the thought of leaving my tortured body was a relief.”

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Fiona went on to say that the last few months “have been tough” as she was unable to swallow normal food or use the feeding tube properly.

“I have been slowly starving, growing weaker and weaker. I’ve also developed terrible back pain because my muscles aren’t supporting my frame,” she continued.

“The black humour that served me well through the first years of this journey turned to despair. I made the decision after much soul searching to cease all medical supports and finally go into hospital for end of life palliative care. When you love life as much as I do, it takes a great deal of courage to make choices that lead to farewell.

“So, let’s not call it goodbye as I hope to see you again on the other side.”

Fiona regularly appeared on TV in the 1980s, including on Hey Hey It’s Saturday, which was hosted by her sister Jacki MacDonald.

Three years ago she was diagnosed with MND, which attacks the brain’s muscle-controlling neurone and kills two Australians every day. People diagnosed with MND have an average life expectancy of two and a half years, and there is currently no cure.

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Fiona’s followers took to the comments to mourn her death, including Narelda Jacobs who wrote: “Courageous til the end. May your spirit be at rest.”

“Farewell beautiful, dignified and courageous Fiona,” The Block’s Neale Whitaker added, while Shelley Horton shared, “Rest easy lovely Fi. You are missed already”.

“This hits hard, Kylie. Your sister was very brave. But you and her boys were awfully brave too - how hard it must have been to say goodbye,” one fan commented. “Fiona has taught everyone how to face illness with dignity, grace, humour, spirit, daring….I’d say Rest in Peace but it doesn’t seem to fit her!”

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