People heartbroken after watching Chris Kamara interview with apraxia
Fans are in ‘tears’ after watching a ‘heartbreaking’ new interview with football pundit Chris Kamara, who was diagnosed with apraxia earlier this year.
Kamara shared his diagnosis with fans in March, after people expressed concern over his 'slurred' speech while covering the League One match between Rotherham United and Shrewsbury Town.
He revealed that he had apraxia of speech, neurological disorder affecting the pathways in the brain that are used when we try and speak.
Posting on Twitter, he said: "Just wanted to let a few of you know who tweeted me today that I am ok-ish.
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"Alongside my thyroid problem I have developed apraxia of speech and have been working to get my speech back to normal. Some days it can be a little slow and some days it's normal. Hopefully I can beat this!"
And now, the 64-year-old has opened up about his condition in a new interview with the podcast The Diary of a CEO.
In a preview of the episode, Kamara tells host Steven Bartlett: “Every day I wake up, the first thing I’ll think: ‘Am I gonna be able to talk today?’
When Bartlett asks what apraxia feels like for Kamara, he begins to tear up, replying: “I feel a fraud now, in terms of broadcasting," before adding: “I was gonna quit everything.”
Commenting on the clip on TikTok, many people noted how emotional the ‘absolutely heartbreaking’ conversation left them.
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One said: “Oh my god this is heartbreaking. Chris is such a legend and nice guy, bless him.”
Someone else wrote: “Chris’ eyes show all his emotions. A legend.”
A third commented: “This guy’s legendary commentary has had me smiling, laughing and now to see this I'm in tears!”
A fourth added: “Genuine tears for Kammy, a lovely bloke in person and was always full of fun.”
Soon after sharing his diagnosis, Kamara appeared on Good Morning Britain to share insight to the speech disorder, revealing how the condition – which is caused by an underactive thyroid – impacts how he talks.
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Kammy told hosts Ben Shephard and Charlotte Hawkins: "If I explain my apraxia, we take for granted the fact when we think and coming through our speech it's comfortable, it's easy, it's natural.
"My apraxia, because it varies in different people, when it's bad it stops those signals from that brain going to that mouth. It slows it down, at times it slurs the words as well.
"So, people are looking thinking, 'is he all right? Is he drunk? What's the matter with him?'. And so, what it is, it's connected to my thyroid - my under-active thyroid problem.
"When I put out the message after Soccer Saturday, I never in a million years expected that response, but everyone has been so brilliant, so kind.
"People have got in touch who I haven't spoken to for 30 or 40 years to wish me well. So can I thank everybody for that."
Jess Hardiman