A star of TV hit The Traitors has shared the difficult journey she went on while looking after her grandad who had dementia.

Maddy Smedley made it through to the last rounds of the BBC reality show, set in a Scottish castle.

The actress, who now works at Birchwood Heights care home in Swanley, has joined other famous names including Colin Firth, Richard Madeley and Mary McCartney to mark Alzheimer’s Society’s latest campaign.

It aims to highlight the changing nature of relationships following a dementia diagnosis and urges supporters to help reach more people by donating to the cause.

For many, a dementia diagnosis marks the beginning of a difficult transition from being a relative, to becoming a carer.

Accodring to Alzheimer's Sociaty, there are 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK, including more than 24,000 estimated to be living with the condition in Kent.

Maddy’s grandad, Denis, was diagnosed with dementia 13 years ago aged 75, before dying last year – just a week after her exit from the BBC reality show.

She said: “Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘Ultimate Vow’ campaign highlights the harsh realities of living with dementia while also showing that love shines through, in sickness and in health. And most importantly, that the charity is there to help.

“Alzheimer’s Society give family and friends of people with dementia the chance to look up life-changing tips or share stories among each other. Finding this sense of community is pivotal for someone who may feel like they are going through it all alone.”

Before drama school, Maddy starred in lots of amateur dramatic productions and Maddy insists that even then, her granddad was her biggest supporter and her comedy inspiration.

Noticing something was not right cognitively with her grandad, Maddy recalls a time when her grandad was out for coffee but did not know where he was. At a memory assessment soon after, he struggled to remember dates or draw a box despite Maddy insisting he was smart.

She added: “I remember thinking Grandad was acting strange when he called and said he could not go to the Olympics. He asked me to pass that message on to the Olympic team.

"Some things were fairly harmless but others were not. He reported my mum missing to the police a few times but gave them her age from when she was a child. He would wander the streets in his dressing gown before a helpful neighbour would guide him home or call us to help him out.”

Maddy put labels on items to help her grandad around the house, rearranged the bathroom to put a chair in the shower and hired carers. However, the severity of his symptoms progressed to a point where Maddy’s family felt unable to provide the necessary care and safety, so her grandad was moved to a residential care home.

She explained: “We visited regularly, but he wasn’t the same Grandad I’d grown up with. He must have been disoriented and annoyed at himself by not being able to remember things. Sometimes I wished people could have seen his kindness and him chatting away like before.”

“I started working at a local care home. Not Grandad’s one but one closer to home during the pandemic after my work as an actor fizzled while in lockdown. After two years, we started planning for Grandad to be moved to the care home I worked in because it was closer and I could be there to keep an eye on him.

"He was chatty but not making sense and did not recognise me either. There were times where he would ask me about my acting though, which felt so special.”

A third of people will develop dementia in our lifetimes, making it the biggest health and social care challenge we face, according to Alzheimer's Society.

Carrie Holmes, the charity's area manager for Kent said: “We want to reach more people with our expert support services, fund groundbreaking research discoveries, and be the leading voice campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.

"Alzheimer’s Society vows to help end the devastation caused by dementia but we simply can’t reach everyone and that’s why we’re calling on the public to donate, visit alzheimers.org.uk.”