Chris Kamara burst into tears on Good Morning Britain on Thursday when describing his neurological ailment, leading Susanna Reid to jump in and comfort him.
The 65-year-old broadcaster announced last year that he had developed the neurological ailment apraxia, which causes people to struggle with specific motor motions and may often disrupt speech, as in Chris’ case.
Chris was on GMB this week to promote his new book, Kammy: My Unbelievable Life, and accompanying documentary, in which he candidly discusses his health fight.
Chris apologised to other people dealing with a speech disorder during a conversation with Susanna and Ben Shephard, noting that following his diagnosis, he believed the illness defined him, but now realises it doesn’t.
Chris then became emotional, saying: ‘I get upset talking about it because I was in denial. I was ashamed that I couldn’t speak.’
Chris trailed off as tears welled up in his eyes, leading Susanna to jump in and console the sports star.
She said: ‘You’ve got nothing to be ashamed of, honestly. Let me just take your hand. You’ve done so much to inspire other people.’
Chris previously disclosed that he had suicide thoughts after being diagnosed with apraxia.
In an extract from Kammy: My Unbelievable Life shared by The Mirror, Chris wrote: ‘As I was gripped by apraxia, and the apparent hopelessness of my future, I’d been escaping more and more down to the animals at the back of the house. Hidden away, that smallholding became my refuge.’
Chris went on to claim that animals that ‘don’t judge’ and provide ‘unconditional love’ provided him with a secure place to converse.
He stated that he felt he could express himself without fear of anybody noticing his’slowed speech’ or ‘compromised stability,’ and that he felt he was being listened to.
‘Going down there allowed me to unravel my thoughts. And I’ll be honest, some of those thoughts could be dark. I worried about where I was going to end up.
‘Would my physical and neurological deterioration just keep going and going? And I worried more about the effect it would have on those around me.’
Chris added that he could only see himself ‘as a burden’ and felt like ‘a shell of the man I used to be that they would be left to look after’.
‘Seeing myself like that was like staring into an abyss. I could never reconcile that image in my head. It was unthinkable.’
Chris was left thinking that this family would be ‘better off’ without him.
What is apraxia of speech?
Apraxia is an effect of a neurological disorder, which causes difficulty in carrying out planned movements, including speech.
According to the NHS, apraxia of speech is thought to be caused by a problem in the brain area responsible for planning those movements which leads to the muscles being unable to work properly when a person tries to speak.
The symptoms of apraxia of speech vary according to the severity of the disorder.
