Roman Kemp Says He Wants To ‘Retire Early’ Following Diagnosis
Roman Kemp has revealed his plans to retire in the next five years after being diagnosed with a sleep disorder.
The Capital FM radio DJ has presented the station's breakfast show for five years which means lots of early starts. However the 29-year-old, who also took part in I'm a Celebrity in 2019, says he plans to step away from fame to live a quiet life.
Speaking to MailOnline about the future of his breakfast show, Roman admitted: "I want a decade on air at least. I would love to be able to say I did a decade on that show – whether my bosses will allow that I don't know."
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After revealing that the last five years have 'gone by in an instant', Roman confessed he has been diagnosed with sleep apnoea, a disorder which causes the sufferer's breathing to start and stop while asleep.
Roman initially thought he was suffering with narcolepsy, a rare brain condition that causes a person to fall asleep suddenly at inappropriate times.
Roman visited a doctor and received his diagnosis and he must now wear an oxygen mask to bed.
He said: "The doctors told me I must wear an oxygen mask. There is absolutely nothing sexy about going back to Roman Kemp's house."
Roman also discussed his retirement plans, which could involve moving to a new country and pet pooches.
"I want to get to the point where I start a family and do what I want to do," he said.
"I want to be a stay-at-home dad and open a dog sanctuary."
Roman is an advocate for mental health awareness and in 2021 he presented the BBC documentary Our Silent Emergency.
The acclaimed one-off documentary delved into mental health among men in the UK after Roman lost his best friend Joe Lyons to suicide in August 2020.
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.”
For more information on the symptoms and treatments for sleep apnoea, visit the NHS website here.
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
Greg Harris