Chris Kamara has provided fans with an update on his health during Monday’s (January 20) episode of BBC Breakfast.
He shared his experience with apraxia of speech (AOS), a condition he announced in March 2022 that affects his ability to speak and process thoughts.
Chris appeared on the programme to talk about a fresh project involving Bradford City supporters forming a choir for the BBC show “Bantam of the Opera.”
Host Jon Kay questioned whether singing had offered any improvement for Chris’s AOS. “Chris, you mentioned, as well, about your condition, your apraxia of speech that you’ve talked about. How has singing helped you? ” enquired Jon.
Offering a lighthearted response, Chris said: “Well, the good news is, I could never sing before so it’s not made any difference,” drawing chuckles from the presenters. He then added, “But the truth of the matter is, you get more fluency in your voice when you sing so it’s a form of rehab when you’re trying to get your voice back. Singing helps me.”
Furthermore, Chris described why he performed with a Scottish accent on The Masked Singer UK in 2023, reports Surrey Live.
As the first celebrity revealed in season four, where he portrayed Ghost, he observed, “The brain works in so many different ways. For me to talk in a Scottish accent, I have the fluency,” and gave a brief demonstration in a Scottish accent.
“But that’s not me,” he added. “To get my voice back, I have to keep practising. Singing is a way of enabling that situation to come back.”
Bradford City enthusiasts, affectionately dubbed the Bantams, are set to receive singing lessons from the maestro BBC Singers and Orchestra in celebration of Bradford’s 2025 bid for UK City of Culture.
They will be buoyed by support from ex-Bradford City gaffer Chris, celebrated opera diva Lesley Garrett, and the illustrious Andrew Lloyd Webber. The group’s melodious journey will be chronicled on Radio Leeds, with ‘Bantam of the Opera’ ready for ears on BBC Sounds come April.
Chris has voiced his commitment previously, noting: “This in an incredibly important year for Bradford, both the city and the football club,” expressing that “The power of music can be enormous, singing is a great way to bring people together, whilst being so positive for mental health. Singing has always been a part of my life, even when times have been tough.”
BBC Breakfast airs daily on BBC One at 6am