RAISING awareness
CHRIS KAMARA on exploring his apraxia of speech diagnosis for a new documentary
CHRIS KAMARA: LOST FOR WORDS
TUE OR WED, 9.15PM, ITV1 FACTUAL
Chris Kamara’s energetic presenting style and witty observations have made him one of our best-loved sports pundits. Earlier this year, the former professional footballer revealed he had been diagnosed with apraxia of speech, a rare neurological condition that causes a person to have difficulty pronouncing sounds and words correctly and consistently.
Wanting to shine the spotlight on the disorder, he has shared his story in a one-off documentary made by his Ninja Warrior UK co-host Ben Shephard’s production company.
Here, Chris, 64, tells TV Times about ITV1’S Lost for Words…
This is an emotional show for you, Chris. Were you apprehensive about it?
My good friend Ben Shephard approached me about doing the documentary, and I have to admit that if it hadn’t been him, I probably wouldn’t have done it.
I thought long and hard, but, hopefully, it will help other people with speech problems.
If I raise awareness and it helps just one person, I’ll be delighted.
When did you become aware of your speech changing?
During the first lockdown I was fine, but when the football season restarted and we were reporting in empty grounds, it started to come. All of a sudden, I couldn’t find my voice and I was slurring my words.
Initially, people were saying, ‘Has he had one too many drinks?’ and I totally ignored it.
Then [in November 2020] I did BBC1’S The One Show to talk about my second Christmas album [called …And a Happy
New Year] and I couldn’t think of a single song I’d recorded. I tried to speak and I slurred my words.
When I got back, my wife said, ‘What’s the matter with you?’ Our two sons rang her, asking the same thing.
It must have been very difficult hosting live shows while experiencing this…
I fobbed everyone off initially and kept working at Sky Sports, but it caused so much anxiety knowing my voice was no longer the voice it was before. Soccer Saturday host Jeff Stelling would come to me for commentary and my heart would be racing because all I could think about was whether what I said would be understood.
That was happening for about 10 months. I wasn’t kidding everyone, but I was getting by. In the end, it got ridiculous and
I went to see a specialist.
How did you cope with the diagnosis?
I was totally in denial. I just kept expecting to wake up one morning and, as suddenly as it came on, it would go away. I kept thinking that if I said, ‘I’ve got a problem,’ my career would be finished.
Gradually, it became worse and I offered to quit, but the TV companies all rallied around and said they’d keep giving me the work. It was overwhelming.
Have you found any ways to help manage your condition?
I’ve seen a hypnotherapist and a speech therapist; they’ve been a great help. I’ve got microcurrents running through my body seven hours a day. I do zinc performance exercises, which are primarily for stroke victims, but my muscles are weak and my balance is no good, so they help. I go into an oxygen chamber… I’ve done everything I can.
Unfortunately, my doctor has told me there’s no scientific evidence for some of these, but I’ve seen so much improvement, so I’m sticking with them.
Finally, what do you hope people take away from watching this documentary?
Little is known about apraxia of speech, which makes the diagnosis so much harder to navigate. Hopefully by sharing my story, it’ll raise awareness and also help people living with this condition by showing them that there are ways to manage it and to still live a fulfilling life.
Say Aphasia is a UK charity running supportive groups for people living with aphasia and apraxia. For more information, visit sayaphasia.org
FACTUAL 9.15PM, ITV1 (or WED)
Chris Kamara takes on a very personal project, opening up about his battle with neurological disorder apraxia of speech (AOS), which affects speaking, balance and movement. In this film, Chris discusses his own shock diagnosis and how it has affected his life. He chats to other sufferers, including the mother of a four-year-old child who has the rare condition, and also returns to the Leeds hospital where he was diagnosed, to hear about therapies that might help him and others. ‘The support I’ve had has been overwhelming,’ says Chris. ‘If I can raise awareness and it helps just one person, I’ll be delighted.’
★★★★ NH
See feature, page 15