TV presenter Roman Kemp has revealed in a new podcast chat that his health struggles are what really led to his decision to leave Capital FM.
Roman opened up on Auto Trader’s Show on the Road podcast, where he revealed the silent battle he was fighting away from the airwaves.
‘I need to look after myself’
“What led me to leave Capital? Sleep,” Roman began. He then spoke about being diagnosed with sleep apnea – a condition he didn’t fully understand until recently.
Roman described his nightly ordeal as similar to “running a half marathon in my sleep and not resting”.
This revelation about his health puts into perspective the challenges he faced while trying to juggle his dual careers in television and radio.
“Because the oxygen intake that I get in my sleep is like 20% of what you would get,” he elaborated on the severity of his condition.
“I think leaving Capital for me was a mixture of things. I’m tired. I need to look after myself a little bit,” Roman added.
Despite his successful career, the physical and emotional demands began to outweigh the rewards, prompting a tough but necessary decision.
“I was trying to spin two careers at once. One is telly and the other is radio. But, on the other hand, there have been days where I’ve felt my lowest, and the radio is the thing that has kept me going,” he reflected.
“I’ve gone through things on air that no one should ever have to go through,” he said, doubtless referring to the death of his best friend Joe Lyons. “You know, so it’s been sad leaving Capital, but I think it’s the right thing.”
Roman Kemp on losing his best friend
Earlier in the episode, Roman recalled the gut-wrenching day he was live on air at Capital FM when he learned of his best friend Joe’s death by suicide.
“I remember calling my mum and hearing her just scream,” Roman shared.
The event severely impacted the TV star, reshaping his perspective on life, health and his career. And the trauma led to a reevaluation of his priorities, particularly regarding his wellbeing.
What’s next?
However, the host didn’t dwell on the past for long and instead chose to focus on his future – including his aspirations in the world of football.
“The first thing I did when I left Capital was to do my coaching badges,” he shared enthusiastically.
Roman gushed about his passion for the sport: “Football is such a massive part of my life. It’s who I am. There’s nothing like the energy of being in a football stadium where you all are wanting the same thing.”
Read more: Roman Kemp on moment he told mum Shirlie his best friend had died: ‘She just screamed’
AutoTrader’s Show on the Road podcast is available now on all podcast platforms.
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