'Mum still believes she was right to fake my illness'

Mum still believes she was justified in fabricating my illness, Matthew Johnson revealed during an interview with the BBC. Matthew, who was once dubbed Britain's sickest boy, was actually the victim of his mother's elaborate deception aimed at garnering attention and financial gain. For six-and-a-half years, Lisa Hayden-Johnson, from Torbay, Devon, falsely claimed that Matthew suffered from a myriad of ailments including diabetes, food allergies, cerebral palsy, and cystic fibrosis.

Her elaborate ruse led to Matthew undergoing surgery, being fed through a stomach tube, and being introduced as a wheelchair-bound child to the then Duchess of Cornwall. The deception even earned Matthew thousands of pounds in benefits and gifts, including a new car, a cruise, and free X-Factor tickets.

Hayden-Johnson, who was jailed for three years and three months in 2010, was arrested in 2007 after a paediatrician began to question the prolonged nature of Matthew's unexplained health issues. Matthew now expresses mixed emotions over hearing his mother's account of the ordeal, saying it reinforced his decision not to speak with her.

He acknowledges the disappointment and frustration he feels at her continued belief in the fabricated story, despite the two decades that have passed. Hayden-Johnson's persistence in maintaining the false narrative, even after decades, is deeply troubling to Matthew, who emphasizes the importance of moving forward and focusing on a positive future.