Denise Drysdale heartbroken over Ernie Sigley’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis

Denise Drysdale has opened up about her heartbreak over Aussie comedy icon Ernie Sigley’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Drysdale, affectionally known as Ding Dong, told the Herald Sun she visited her former co-star earlier this year and became emotional when he struggled to remember who she was.

“I went to see him a couple of months ago and I sang him the whole of ‘Hey Paula’ (their duet that went to No. 1 in 1974). He stood and looked at me, got a bit emotional and gave me a big cuddle,” she told the publication.

“Then I was sitting with him about 10 minutes later and he said, ‘God, you ­remind me of somebody’.

“I said, ‘Delvene Delaney?’ and he said, ‘No, not her’. I said, ‘Denise Drysdale?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, that is who you remind me of’.”

Drysdale and Ernie starred in his hit program The Ernie Sigley Show, in the 1970s and quickly became household names thanks to their impeccable comedic timing and on-screen chemistry. Their hilarious antics left Aussies in stitches and earned the pair Gold Logies in 1974. Drysdale won again in 1975.

Sigley, 79, was sadly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2016. The degenerative disease affects more than 342,000 Australians and an estimated 44 million people worldwide. It typically robs people of their memories and can cause aggressive behaviour, paranoia and loss of muscle movement.

In his heyday, Sigley was regarded as one of the best comedians in Aussie entertainment. After his show was cancelled in 1976, he and Drysdale remained close, with the comedy veteran acting as mentor to his young protégé.

Sigley went on to work in radio for almost 60 years and hosted Wheel of Fortune from 1981 to 1984. Drysdale went on to star in a number of variety shows before landing her own program, called Denise, in the late ’90s.

She made headlines earlier this year when she admitted to a private stoush with her former Studio 10 co-host Ita Buttrose, that culminated in the comedian pegging Brussels sprouts at the veteran journalist at a Christmas party.

Drysdale later apologised and told the Herald Sun at the time that she was “in a jovial mood” and had a few too many champagnes when she let the vegetables fly.

Read more: Denise Drysdale says she won’t miss Ita Buttrose

Although she said the pair had since made up and there was no longer an issue, Buttrose resigned soon after and when asked on 2DayFM Breakfast with Em, Grant and Ed if she’d miss having her on the panel, Drysdale replied, “no”.

“The show as we know it is not the same any more, with Jess [Rowe] going. Jess and I hit it off really, really well. And now Ita going, well — it’s a different show. You’ve got two totally different people that have gone … I’m sure we’ll pick up,” she said.

Are you a fan of Denise Drysdale and Ernie Sigley? Do you remember watching them in the 1970s?