‘I have good days and bad days’ – Chris Kamara opens up on health battle that left him ‘hardly able to talk’
EX-FOOTBALLER Chris Kamara’s battle with speech apraxia left him “hardly able to talk” and wanting to QUIT broadcasting.
Kamara, 64, is a popular broadcaster in the football world but was left heartbroken by his diagnosis.
The disorder causes people to have trouble speaking and for Kamara in broadcasting, his voice is his life.
In an emotional interview, the popular ex-Sky Sports commentator told the Daily Star Sunday: “Ten months ago, I could hardly talk.
“The words hardly came out. My voice is my life at the moment. As a broadcaster, I need my voice and I need it to be spot on.
“So I could have gone away and gone into the background. I wanted to pack it all in.
READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
“But ITV bosses wouldn’t hear of it. Channel 4, Channel 5 and the BBC were exactly the same.
“Even now, some days I wake up and think, ‘Why am I doing this? There are people better than me out there who are more qualified’.”
Kamara received an avalanche of support from fans, colleagues and telly execs.
He says it has been “overwhelming” and it has made him appreciate how lucky he is.
Most read in Football
Kamara continued: “It’s overwhelming at times. People have been so kind and amazing.
“It made me appreciate how lucky I am that people think that kindly of me and all the channels still want to employ me now. It is appreciated.”
He added: “It is emotional, but then again I’ve got an under-active thyroid and that plays with your emotions anyway.”
Kamara returned to TV screens earlier this year for ITV’s The Games.
He is currently back as one of the presenters on Ninja Warrior UK.