Jordan from The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes
TV

Channel 4 viewers bawling as 23-year-old with early-onset dementia gene thanks “inspirational” pals

Jordan's mum and auntie both died of the disease

Channel 4 documentary series The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes reduced viewers to tears as one participant opened up about early-onset dementia.

The four-part programme put 14 volunteers, all with some form of the disease, in charge of a restaurant led by chef Josh Eggleton.

Josh Eggleton
Chef Josh Eggleton led the project (Credit: Channel 4)

Read more: Viewers moved to tears by Our Dementia Choir with Vicky McClure

During the final episode last night (July 3), one of the stars of the show, 23-year-old Jordan, fought back tears as he talked about carrying a gene for the condition that killed his mum.

In emotional scenes near the end of the episode, brave Jordan told a crowd at the restaurant: “I’ve come into this from a different perspective.

“I watched my mum and my auntie both suffer with the condition. Remembering the latter stages of that was very traumatic for me. So you kind of forget all the living in between.”

Jordan from The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes
Jordan is carrying the gene for Pick’s Disease (Credit: Channel 4)

In another segment, he told the camera directly: “Dementia is not something that’s just going to go away. This diagnosis means that I’m most likely going to die very young.”

Jordan only recently found out that he carries the gene for Pick’s Disease, a form of early-onset dementia.

He said: “I think the main thing I’m going to take from the experience with the restaurant is… inspiration. And hope.

“When it comes to a stage that I am starting to get symptoms of my dementia, I’ll know that it’s not all over there and then and there’s still loads of living to do.”

The programme then cut to Jordan’s speech at the restaurant, where many were seen wiping tears from their eyes.

He said: “All these guys have really given me a lot of comfort for the future so I’d just like to thank you all. Keep doing what you’re doing, because you’re doing a great job.”

The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes
Jordan with his co-stars (Credit: Channel 4)

Viewers rushed to Twitter to comment on the heartbreaking scenes.

One said: “It’s emotional. What an amazing project. Well done @channel4 and @josh_eggleton.”

Another wrote: “Well #therestaurantthatmakesmistakes is a tear jerker tonight.”

A third tweeted, alongside a crying emoji: “Bawling my eyes out.”

https://twitter.com/ellmcintyre/status/1146531926171406347

Read more: Former Emmerdale star Verity Rushworth announces birth of second child

Someone else said: “#therestaurantthatmakesmistakes I would like to open a restaurant just like this if only I could I would not a dry eye in this house.”

A fifth wrote: “The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes on @Channel4, heartbreaking but incredibly inspirational! Sat here with tears in my eyes…”

Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think of this story.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor

Related Topics