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Football pundit Chris Kamara has announced his return to television more than two years after a health battle saw him quit.
The broadcaster, 66, will return to live reporting on Boxing Day to cover the Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur match as part of Amazon Prime’s Premier League coverage. Kamara was forced to quit his regular pundit gigs after he was diagnosed with apraxia of speech in March 2022.
He quit his role on Sky Sports after 24 years with the broadcaster, and later fronted an ITV documentary called ‘Lost for Words’ that explored his health battle. The beloved broadcaster received an outpouring of support after revealing his apraxia diagnosis, which slows down his speech and thought process.
Football pundit Chris Kamara has announced his return to live TV more than two years after he was diagnosed with apraxia of speech.Football pundit Chris Kamara has announced his return to live TV more than two years after he was diagnosed with apraxia of speech.
Football pundit Chris Kamara has announced his return to live TV more than two years after he was diagnosed with apraxia of speech. | Getty Images
Kamara travelled to Mexico to take part in clinical trials to help his ongoing rehabilitation. He has continued to contribute pre-recorded voiceover as well as podcast, but the December 26 comeback will be his first live TV work in more than two years.
In a post on X, he revealed the exciting news to fans. Kamara said: “Best phone call ever this afternoon inviting me to do the Forest v Spurs game on Boxing Day, reporting back to the Unbelievable Jeff Stelling in the studio. I thought I was done, so it’s a big thank you Amazon. I’m back.”
His former Sky Sports colleague Jeff Stelling replied: “And I am looking forward to it as much as you mate. There’s a goal at the City ground but for who Chris Kamara?…”
What is apraxia of speech?
Apraxia of speech, also known as verbal apraxia, is a neurological disorder which affects the part of the brain used for communication. Those with apraxia of speech may have difficulty saying what they want to say, saying longer words and some may have trouble repeating words that someone else has said.
The cause of apraxia may come from a number of different sources, including brain damage, head injury, a stroke, a tumour or other illness. Kamara has spoke in the past about how he suffered from an underactive thyroid which caused speech problems, before being diagnosed with apraxia two years later.
There is no cure for apraxia of speech but those living with the condition can undergo speech and language therapy to help develop their speech. Those communicating with people with the condition are also advised to be understanding and give time for the person to speak and not interrupt.
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Speaking previously to Lorraine Kelly about his diagnosis, Karama said: "I woke up one day and went downstairs and tried to talk to my wife and it was slow from my brain to my mouth, and I thought I must have had too much to drink the night before. Aa few hours later I was slurring my words and then you realise something is wrong.
"I went through the first year and half on my own, I told no-one but people guessed, my wife guessed. Eventually people started to realise, my reports weren't slick, they were slow. I thought I'd be a hindrance to the family. I realise now it was stupid to think that. I was also ashamed. It gets me upset as I say it, I was ashamed of my condition."
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