Content
Skip to Main ContentAccessibility Help
Front Burner

Céline Dion's struggle with stiff-person syndrome

We talk to CBC’s Adrienne Arsenault about her exclusive interview with iconic Canadian singer Céline Dion, who opened up about her long struggle with stiff-person syndrome and how it’s affected her life and the lives of her children.
CBC News ·
A woman with short brown hair, wearing a tan coat and white dress, stands onstage, smiling at the audience.
Celine Dion is managing a rare neurological disorder called stiff-person syndrome, which causes her body to tense up and spasm. She publicly shared the diagnosis in 2022. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Front Burner24:55Céline Dion’s struggle with stiff-person syndrome

Subscribe to Front Burner on your favourite podcast app

Everyone knows who Céline Dion is. You can't forget her incredible power ballads, her iconic outfits at the Met Gala or her quirky conversations with journalists and fellow singers alike.

But what fans didn't know for years was Céline was suffering from stiff-person syndrome. It was causing her body to tense up and spasm, making it hard to use her famous vocal chords. She went public with the diagnosis a year and a half ago, and then stepped away from showbiz and the public eye.

Now, she's opening up about her story and how stiff-person syndrome has affected her life in a new documentary. Ahead of its release, we hear from CBC's Adrienne Arsenault, who got an exclusive interview with Céline and tells us what she learned about Celine's life and her plans to sing in the future.

For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts 

Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Help us make Front Burner even better by filling out this listener survey: https://forms.gle/JpaGc3RyiaYKqMmw6

Listen on Google Podcasts

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Listen on Spotify