Amanda Keller spoke about her husband Harley Oliver’s battle with Parkinson’s Disease as they celebrate their 35th anniversary.

Radio presenter Amanda Keller has become emotional on-air after sharing some insight into her marriage after her husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Photo: Getty/Gold 101.7 FM

Radio presenter Amanda Keller became emotional while reflecting on her 35-year marriage to husband Harley Oliver, who she revealed in 2023 was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. She shared that the pair is celebrating their anniversary and spoke about the highs and challenges of it.

The Gold 101.7 presenter said she was “grateful” she and Harley still have each other, but couldn’t stop herself from becoming emotional while speaking about the topic. Amanda particularly referenced the vows most married couples make, to stand by each other in “sickness and in health”.

Amanda Keller becomes emotional over husband’s Parkinson’s Disease battle

Amanda and her co-host, Brendan ‘Jonesy’ Jones, referenced the date on Tuesday morning, and it soon led to a flood of tears.

“I don’t want to get emotional,” she told Jonesy. “It’s my wedding anniversary today. And in the old days, Harley and I would have been going out to dinner tonight. But he’s not well enough to do that. But I’ve been thinking about this. How long have you been married, Brendan?”

Jonesy responded, “33 years,” and she continued, “And when you stand there on your wedding day and you say forever, what does that even mean? You don’t even know. I think all you can say is, I kind of feel the weight of potential that we can go somewhere here. And when you say the words, for better or worse, you know, what do they mean when you’re in your 20s?”

“In sickness and in health,” Jonesy said.

Amanda and Harley a few years after they got married in 1990. Photo: Instagram/amandarosekeller
“In sickness and in health,” she agreed. “And yet that’s where we are. And… no concept of what that means until you’re living it. And I kind of fluctuate between taking great pride in the fight that we are alongside each other, and the strength that it takes to get up every day and still fight it and still live it. But I don’t think you can get to 35 years without the sands shifting between you beneath your feet.”

She continued, “If you’re living life, you don’t get to cherry pick life. You engage with it as you find it. And Harley’s very stoic, but it’s hard. And, you know, I’m grateful today that here we are, 35 years and we’re still in it together. But it’s hard. I never think of the what ifs because I think that’s just where madness lies. But you do fluctuate between dealing with what’s in front of you and having the absolute s**ts that you’re dealing with what’s in front of you.”

Amanda said that she and Harley have “lived a rich and wonderful life together, and we still do,” adding, “But it’s not the same as the old days where we’d be going out to dinner tonight.”

“I’m grateful that we still have each other,” she added. “But it is that thing, isn’t it? On your wedding day where you think no one knows what ride you’re in for? None of us do. As Harley himself says, we all have an asteroid coming at us. We don’t know what it is. And do you want to know? That’s another thing, isn’t it? We all think that we’ll get to 90 and die in our sleep. I think the human condition is you can’t afford to think otherwise, or you wouldn’t get up in the morning. But people face stuff every day. And that’s the meat of life. That’s the meat of a long-term relationship. So, I’m grateful to have that.”

Amanda and Harley’s relationship

Amanda spoke about the moment Harley was diagnosed, saying, “We both just sat there completely numb.” Photo: Instagram/amandarosekeller
Amanda and Harley were married in 1990 after meeting in 1987 when he was a producer on the show Beyond 2000, for which she auditioned.

While Harley is known for his career in TV, he is also a natural artist and has had works displayed in several solo exhibitions.

Amanda first spoke about Harley’s health challenges on her Double A Chattery podcast, where she told co-host Anita McGregor, “I first noticed Harley’s footfall around the house changing, like he was dragging his leg, and his hands started to shake, and he said he’d just been whacked in the thumbs as a wicketkeeper playing cricket, but I felt something was going on.”

“I know Harley so well, and how protective he is of his inner core, he was absolutely scared and in denial, and who would blame him?”

Shortly after airing, Harley received his diagnosis. Amanda said at the time, “When he came home (from the doctor), we both just sat there completely numb.”

Parkinson’s is an incurable neurodegenerative disease that causes shakiness, stiffness and difficulty with balance and coordination. Symptoms worsen over time.