Chris Kamara reveals heartbreaking reason why he apologised to his wife – after battle with speech apraxia forced the former footballer off TV screens
Chris Kamara has opened up on why he apologised to his wife Anne after being diagnosed with apraxia.
Kamara has endured a tortured journey with speech apraxia – a rare neurological condition that affects your ability to speak – that has resulted in him stepping away from several broadcasting roles.
The 67-year-old was one of the game’s most amusing and beloved personalities during his 20-year tenure in front of the cameras and most notably on Sky Sports News where he shared a memorable relationship with Jeff Stelling.
But 2022 saw Kamara heartbreakingly forced to give up his profession after he received a diagnosis for speech apraxia, a rare neurological disorder which left him slurring his words.
Apraxia is a little-understood condition that affects the body’s ability to perform natural motor functions and Kamara has undergone intense speech therapy in a bid to get back on screen.
Kamara has now revealed that he didn’t reach out to his family, including wife Anne, after first feeling symptoms of the condition.
Chris Kamara has revealed why he apologised to his wife after being diagnosed with apraxia
Kamara has revealed that he didn’t reach out to his family, including wife Anne (right), after first feeling the symptoms of speech apraxia
During his tenure at Sky Sports Kamara became a fan favourite for his energetic personality
‘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,’ he said.
‘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.’
On the therapy he has been undergoing, the former midfielder added: ‘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.’
On Boxing Day Kamara returned to broadcasting as he provided coverage of the game between Nottingham Forest and Tottenham for Amazon Prime Video.
Kamara had a lengthy playing career which saw him represent clubs including Portsmouth, Swindon, Brentford and Leeds. He also had spells as manager of Bradford and Stoke.
As well as his work on Soccer Saturday, Kamara also presented Goals on Sunday for Sky Sports.
