’80s TV host Fiona MacDonald announces her own tragic death on social media

Fiona MacDonald, host of ’80s game show It’s A Knockout, has lost her battle with motor neurone disease, penning a farewell to her friends in a heartbreaking social media post.

Former TV star Fiona MacDonald has lost her battle with MND. Picture: Supplied

Fiona MacDonald, the host of TV hits such as It’s A Knockout and Wombat, has lost her brave battle with motor neurone disease.

MacDonald was diagnosed with MND in 2021.

She announced her own death on Instagram on Thursday in a statement that was uploaded by her sister, Kylie.

Her other sister is Jacki MacDonald, the longtime sidekick of Daryl Somers on Hey Hey It’s Saturday.

MacDonald was in Melbourne in June attending the FightMND Big Freeze at the MCG with Neale Daniher.

MacDonald was diagnosed with MND in 2021. Picture: Instagram

Fiona MacDonald with her sister Kylie. Picture: Instagram

MacDonald on her tour around Australia. Picture: nstagram

MacDonald’s tour raised funds for research into the horror condition. Picture: Instagram

In the emotional statement MacDonald let her friends and followers know she had “left the building.”

“Farewell my friends. My sister Kylie is posting this because I have left the building – hopefully I’m looking down from a cloud,” the statement read.

“Last night (Wednesday) 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.

“The last few months have been tough. Unable to swallow normal food, the tube feeding that should have sustained me didn’t work because my gut couldn’t tolerate any of the multiple brands of protein drinks. It went straight in and straight out.

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

“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.

“Until then: ‘May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, May the rainfall softly upon your fields until we meet again, And may God hold you in the hollow of His hand.’

“I carry your love and laughter with me and hope you’ll remember mine.”

MacDonald has two sons, Ryan and Rafe.

Jason Donovan and Fiona MacDonald film an episode of It's a Knockout.

Last year MacDonald revealed she was fighting MND and embarked on a round-Australia road trip to raise funds for research into the disease.

A GoFundMe set up to accompany her trip, which she called It’s A Big Lap, raised almost $230,000.

In an interview with the Sunday Herald Sun while she was travelling through Victoria on her It’s A Big Lap journey, MacDonald described MND as a “hideous disease” and a beast that must be stopped.

Fiona MacDonald with Billy J.Smith and Grant Kenny on It’s a Knockout.

MacDonald with Billy J. Smith and Cameron Daddo.

MacDonald and Billy J. Smith share laughter on set.

“The journey is important to me for a couple of reasons,” she told the paper in July 2023.

“The average time from diagnosis to ‘Elvis has left the building’ is around 27 months.

“I was diagnosed in late 2021 so I feel like I might be living on borrowed time soon.

“Given there is no cure, I didn’t want to sit around waiting for the inevitable.

“I thought maybe I could have my last grand adventure and at the same time try to raise an audacious fundraising goal of $100,000 for research and trials to find a cure for MND.

“There’s so much of Australia I haven’t seen. I want to soak up the energy of the landscape, to feel the grandeur, to stare up at the stars in remote places like the Nullarbor and feel like I’m connected to the universe.

“I’m sure it will bring me immense peace and remind me what a great gift life is.

“If I can also manage to raise my aspirational goal as well that will be an incredible bonus and hopefully will help other people who get MND. Maybe one day soon this beast of a disease will be curable, or at least treatable.”

Originally published as ’80s TV host Fiona MacDonald announces her own tragic death on social media