Roman Kemp: Are You Really OK?

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Roman Kemp booted from I'm A Celebrity in third place as Jacqueline Jossa and Andy Whyment battle for jungle crown". The idea has stuck with him, because on this basis, he’s “about six times removed from that kid” of the 80s. Kemp has also presented London's New Year celebration show twice in 2017 and 2019 alongside performers Nile Rodgers, Chic and Craig David respectively. Kemp says he finds the experience of talking with others about mental health cathartic – as a viewer, it’s saddening, but heartening, too, to watch the presenter open up to his parents about his struggles. In 2019, he took part in I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here (2002-), where he made it to the final and finished in third place.

A few of my friends said: ‘I don’t know what they’ve done but they’ve put something in, instead of taking something out. If you’re feeling suicidal, and you don’t feel you can keep yourself safe right now, seek immediate help.The Capital DJ will discuss the impact on his life after losing his best friend, Joe Lyons, the radio producer who launched his career, to suicide. Roman’s love of his family, friends and his work ethic shone through in every page alongside his fun and loving personality.

A must read for anyone who has directly experienced suicide - Roman gets it, and explained exactly how I have felt for the past 13 years. Kemp’s book celebrates the 80s as the decade that made him, but in a funny way, it was only as the decade drew to a close that he stepped out of his brother’s shadow. I wasn’t wanting to kill myself per se, but my medical condition was getting so bad, it got to the stage where I would have been happy to die in my sleep. And I know of his parents and enjoyed their music but they were necessarily a family I followed (figuratively of course), but it was a real eye opener learning about them as people rather than just their names.

The chapters are great; so raw and funny and others so moving as he draws attention to the challenges of grief after suicide. As a young DJ, he was given the early morning Sunday spot before being moved to the prime-time spots of Saturday evening and late Sunday morning. He said he believed there were "aspects" to his struggle that could have a "chemical" cause, and that when he didn't take tablets he saw a "regression" in his mental health.