‘My whole world upside down’ Roman Kemp on heartfelt inspiration for mental health book

Roman Kemp opens up about his mental health

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Roman Kemp, 29, has been very open about his battle with depression, more so after he lost his best friend Joe to suicide in 2020. The Capital FM DJ has shared that Joe was the inspiration behind his book as he wants people “to speak out about how they really feel”.

Suicide is the single biggest killer of men in the UK!

Roman Kemp

Are You Really Ok? is due to be released in October and Roman admitted that he was not planning to write a book this young.

He said: “I never intended to write a book at this age, I thought it was something I could perhaps do later in life.

“But then, in the pandemic, my best mate Joe took his own life and it turned my whole world upside down.

“Losing Joe made me start researching how many young men take their own lives every year.

“And the answers shocked me. Suicide is the single biggest killer of men under the age of 40 in this country.”

With these findings, Roman wanted to do something for the cause so decided to share his own story.

He continued: “So I decided I would share my story. If me opening up saves someone from taking their own life, it’s worth it.

“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.”

After Roman’s dear friend’s death, the presenter released a documentary with BBC Three.

In the documentary, Roman travelled around the UK meeting suicide attempt survivors and mental health experts.

Speaking on the show, he said: “I remember just saying, ‘that’s it I can’t sit and have the platform that I have and not do anything.’

“I wanted to show the confusion [and] the anger.

“Because that’s the reality. The reality is the people that you leave behind.

“I used this film as my own therapy. I can’t even remember it. I just remember crying a lot.

“It was really hard. It’s still hard now.”

Roman just finished the latest series of Celebrity Gogglebox with his dad, Martin Kemp.

Speaking about the show, he revealed: “Gogglebox I do because it’s with my dad.

“The reason I chose Gogglebox is that I know that when I’m older and when he’s not here anymore, I can say to my kids and my grandkid, ‘That’s the relationship I had with my dad,’ so that’s why I do it”, he told Metro.co.uk.

If you have been affected by this story please contact the Samaritans website or call for free on 116 123.

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