Roman Kemp Says He 'Contemplated Suicide' In Depression Battle
The Capital FM DJ will publish a book later this year about mental health.
Trigger warning: This article discusses suicide.
Roman Kemp will open up about the time he contemplated suicide and his battle with depression in his upcoming book.
The Capital FM Breakfast DJ and TV personality will also talk about the impact of the death of his best friend, Joe Lyons, who died by suicide in 2020.
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Roman’s book, Are You Really OK?, will aim to ‘smash the stigma still surrounding medication and mental health’, the Amazon description reads.
Roman has battled depression since he was 15 and he will lift the lid on more about this aspect of his life in the book.
“If me opening up saves someone from taking their own life, it’s worth it,” a quote from Roman reads.
“I promise it’s not all heavy going or doom and gloom… there will be a few moments that make you laugh along the way.
“I just hope that by talking openly and honestly about my life, other young guys like me, guys like the ones you might know, and live with and love, might realise it’s OK to speak out about how they really feel.”
He recently opened up about his own mental health and the suicide crisis affecting young men in the BBC Three documentary Our Silent Emergency.
Roman spoke to men and boys about their experiences with mental health and discussed his own struggles with his dad, Martin Kemp, and his mum, Shirlie Holliman.
Roman explained what he hoped to achieve with the documentary, which aired in 2021. “I hope that by making this documentary for BBC Three we can bring attention to a subject that is affecting thousands of young men across the country, and show that there are ways to reach those who are suffering and need our help,” he said at the time.
In March 2022, Roman appeared on The Diary of a CEO podcast with Steven Bartlett, where he spoke about struggling with depression.
He said: “When you’re in that zone, in an absolute spiral, everything goes into a blur. All I know I was in my house sat in my pants and I couldn’t stop crying.”
The 29-year-old has hosted the Capital FM morning radio show for five years, and he has said he wants to continue for another five before retiring.
Are You Really OK? will be published on 27th October 2022.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123
Gregory Robinson