CHIRS Kamara has given his many fans an update on his speech diagnosis.
The former Sky Sports presenter revealed that in 2022, he was diagnosed with a neurological condition called apraxia.
Who is Chris Kamara?
Christopher Kamara is an English former professional football player and manager.
He worked as a presenter and football analyst at Sky Sports from 1992 to 2022.
When he was 16 years old he joined the Royal Navu before getting signed by Portsmouth in November 1974.
He spent three years with the club before being sold on to Swindon Town.
He then returned to Portsmouth in 1981 but was transferred to Brentford later in the year.
Chris spent four years with the team before leaving the club after picking up a runners-up medal in the Football League Trophy in 1985.
He moved on to Stoke City in 1988 and Leeds United in 1990.
He then had loan spells with Premier League clubs Sheffield United and Middlesbrough.
He joined Bradford City as player-coach in 1994 and was promoted to manager the following year till his departure in 1998.
Chris became a broadcaster with Sky Sports in 1998 and had several stints on other TV shows.
What has Chris Kamara said about his apraxia?
The former Sky Sports pundit revealed he had apraxia of speech in March 2022 after being diagnosed with an underactive thyroid in 2021.
The condition led him to leave his role on Soccer Saturday at the end of the season.
He told how people often thought he was “drunk” due to his slurred speech.
Doctors told him he may have kept his speech if he had been checked sooner.
Chris told The Sun: “The doctor said if I’d gone in those first two or three months and had my thyroid checked then I might have been okay.
“But because I left it, everything happening in the body — the balance, the muscle weakening — came from the fact I didn’t tell anybody.
“I feel I’ve let my wife and family down by being a dinosaur and not getting checked out.”
Chris has previously bravely told how he contemplated suicide following his diagnosis.
What is apraxia?
Apraxia is a neurological disorder that affects the body’s ability to perform natural motor functions.
It can occur in a number of different forms.
One form is apraxia of speech which is when a person finds it difficult or impossible to move their mouth and tongue to speak.
How is Chris Kamara doing?
On November 9, 2023, the 65-year-old gave an update on his condition during an appearance on Good Morning Britain.
The star was emotional as he admitted: “I get upset talking about it.
“I was in denial. I was ashamed I couldn’t speak.
“I didn’t want to be a burden, that’s the thing.
“I have spent so long looking after my family and I didn’t want them to be in a position where they were looking after me.”
GMB host Susanna Reid, 52, reassured him: “You have got nothing to be ashamed of – let me take your hand.
“You have done so much to inspire people.”
