Legendary reporter Chris Kamara is set to make a triumphant return to sports broadcasting on Boxing Day.
Kamara, 66, was one of football’s funniest and most popular pundits for more than two decades – which came after a lengthy playing career for the likes of Swindon, Stoke, Leeds, Brentford and Luton.
He gained fame for his time on Sky Sports’ flagship show Soccer Saturday where his hilarious interactions with Jeff Stelling became iconic and phrases such as ‘unbelievable Jeff’ and ‘I don’t know Jeff’ went down in folklore.
However, Kamara was forced leave the job he loved in April 2022 having been diagnosed with speech apraxia, which left him slurring his words.
Apraxia is a little-understood neurological condition that affects the body’s ability to perform natural motor functions.
Speech therapy has helped the 66-year-old to recover, allowing him to announce his triumphant return to TV earlier this year in an upcoming travel series with his former Goals On Sunday co-host Ben Shephard.
Legendary reporter Chris Kamara is set to make a triumphant return to sports broadcasting
Kamara was one of football’s most popular and funniest presenters for more than two decades
The 66-year-old revealed he would be part of Amazon Prime’s coverage on Boxing Day
And now, Kamara – who explained earlier this year how he ‘has got everything back apart from the speed (in his speech)’ – revealed that he is set to return to football reporting in the coming weeks.
Posting on X, 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 @JeffStelling in the studio.
‘I thought I was done, so it’s a big thank you Amazon @primevideosport “I’m back”.’
Amazon Prime have the rights to show all of the Boxing Day fixtures live and Stelling is set to host ‘Every Game, Every Goal’, which is effectively a similar show to Soccer Saturday, where fans are kept informed as the goals go in around the grounds.
This means that Kamara will be linking up with Stelling again in a move that is sure to be welcomed by fans.
Meanwhile, Stelling, who left Soccer Saturday ahead of the 2023-24 season, replied to Kamara’s post on social media with a heartwarming message.
‘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 ?……,’ he said.
Kamara then added: ‘Love ya mate, Andrew (Buzz) Hornet rang me and I just said “I’d love to work with you again on football” totally unexpected.’
Kamara will be reunited with his former colleague and fellow broadcasting legend Jeff Stelling
Stelling sent a heartwarming message to Kamara on social media after news of his return
Kamara has previously heartbreakingly opened up on his speech issues and admitted he was driven to rock bottom.
Speaking in November to Brentford, the club he played for in the 1980s, Kamara admitted that he had suicidal thoughts after he left Soccer Saturday as he didn’t want to be a ‘burden to his family’.
‘I felt sorry for myself when the condition came along and I didn’t know what to do or how to cope with it,’ he said. ‘You have stupid thoughts. You think you’ve got Alzheimer’s or dementia.
‘I didn’t want to be a burden to my family, so you think about taking yourself out of the game.’
He clarified that he no longer has those dark thoughts since he started getting better.
‘How could I ever have thought of not being in this world with my grandkids? I love them and I appreciate life,’ he added.
Kamara said he previously ‘didn’t understand mental health’ and would tell people who were suffering with poor mental health ‘to get up, get on with it and just do it’.
But he explained that he now realises he was ‘totally wrong’.
He said: ‘The majority of people who are genuinely honest and have depression, anxiety and have mental health problems need help as best as they possibly can. The start is talking to someone about it. I did that and it’s helped me immensely.’
Kamara also previously revealed that he felt like a fraud due to the condition, but now the 66-year-old set to make a popular and emotional return to football coverage.
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