Pianist with dementia finds fame with song for wife

A pianist with dementia who reached the final of Channel 4's The Piano said he had "never been happier" following his appearance on the show.

Duncan Goodwin, 81, from Harrogate, hoped to raise awareness of the illness by performing in the TV contest.

Mr Goodwin played an original piece - Theme For Fran, dedicated to his wife of 40 years - to a crowd at Manchester Piccadilly Station.

He said his new-found fame since appearing on the show had been "incredible".

“I think it is completely incredible that this should happen, but I have complete joy within myself that I’m doing it and I’ve just never been happier in my life,” he said.

Mr Goodwin told host Claudia Winkleman on the show that he had been playing the piano since the age of four, and wrote his piece to show his dedication to his wife after being diagnosed with dementia two years ago.

His wife Fran looked full of emotion as she sat next to him at his piano as he performed in the final.

Although Mr Goodwin did not win, the couple said the love song had still made an impact, particularly as the couple had been able to raise awareness about dementia.

Mrs Goodwin said: “The future is unknown but Duncan is everything to me.

"I would have him in any situation rather than not have him.

“Every time I hear him playing the song, I have to give him a kiss because it’s so special, it really is a beautiful piece and it means a great deal.

“It’s wonderful but with all the attention that he’s getting with people coming up to him, he has turned into a diva, but then I say, 'I don’t see why not'.”

She added she was “so excited” to see her husband’s diary filling up with gigs over the coming months, particularly as it has helped the couple raise money for the North Yorkshire-based charity Dementia Forward.

Mr Goodwin will play at the Wesley Chapel in Oxford Street, Harrogate, on 3 August.

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