Chris Kamara has revealed he apologised to his wife after hiding his initial health concerns from her before being diagnosed with a rare speech disorder.
The sports pundit, 67, was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid in 2021 and then apraxia of speech, which led to him stepping away from the majority of his broadcasting roles.
Apraxia is a little-understood neurological condition that affects the body’s ability to perform natural motor functions, and apraxia of speech is a specific motor speech disorder that makes it difficult to speak.
Kamra - also known as Kammy - says he wishes he had been open with his family sooner.
Speaking to The Mirror on Mental Health Awareness week, he said: "They spotted the signs (that I was struggling). I should have talked to my wife Anne, for which I have apologised to her.
"I didn't tell my wife what was going on. My family would have supported me rather than somebody I didn't know, Anne, and my sons would have helped me in the first place."
The former footballer went on to explain how when he first realised he was having difficulties with his speech, he feared he may have been developing a condition such as dementia or Alzheimer's, which resulted in his mental health spiralling.
He continued: "It was a really tough period. I just did not want be a burden to my family but my illness came to fruition just before the Covid lockdown. I had these stupid thoughts.”
The Middlesbrough-born personality said therapy was the eventual key to helping him with his mental health struggles and come to terms with his diagnosis.
He explained: "I kept thinking, for over 18 months, that it would go away. I just kept thinking one day I’ll wake up and I’ll be back to the person I was. But I have accepted the way I speak now. And that’s because of the work on my mental health.
“My therapist told me that the day you accept your condition is the day you will start getting better, and that is what happened. I can be my own worst critic but my speech has improved and I’m fine with how I sound."
