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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Zoe Delaney

Roman Kemp once thought about taking his own life during mental health struggle

Roman Kemp has recalled his battle with suicidal thoughts and intentions.

The Capital Breakfast host, 29, has explained how he once thought taking his own life was "the only way to stop" the pain he was enduring throughout a struggle with his mental health.

Roman has recalled how at one point during the battle, his "head was going like a whirlwind" and he "couldn't stop crying" as he sat alone in his house.

The former I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! contestant was speaking to Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett about his past experiences, in a hope to normalise conversations about men's mental health.

Roman admitted on The Diary of a CEO podcast that he contemplated jumping in front of a train in 2019, after coming off antidepressants and hitting a rock bottom in terms of his mental health.

"When you're in that zone, in an absolute spiral, everything goes into a blur," he recalled to podcast host Steven.

"All I know I was in my house sat in my pants and I couldn't stop crying.

"I couldn't stop worrying about everything. My head was going like a whirlwind.

"I was worrying about stuff that wasn't even logical.

Roman continued: "I can't describe what my brain was telling me. Anything that could have been a problem in my head, was a problem.

The traumatic experience occurred a year before the star lost a close friend to suicide (Capital FM)

"You're thinking you look bad, you've not done this, your tax bill, are you ever going to do this... loads of voices.

"At that point I thought, 'I don't know what to do'. The only thing I could think of was, 'OK, I'll take my own life. That's the only way to stop this.'

"You're in such an intense place that your mind just implodes."

Thankfully, mum Shirley Holliman called the star and kept him talking on the phone, until she could get to his home and help him seek help.

Shirlie Holliman rushed to her son's house during his mental health battle in 2019 (WireImage)

The following year, Roman was left heartbroken when his best friend and co-worker Joe Lyons took his own life at the age of 31.

Roman found out the devastating news while presenting Capital Breakfast in August 2020 - where radio producer Joe had worked alongside him.

Following his friend's sad passing, Roman starred in the NTA-nominated BBC documentary, Roman Kemp: Our Silent Emergency.

The moving and informative feature detailed the star's own battle with depression, as well as a wider look at the mental health and suicide crisis impacting young men across the country.

Roman spoke about his late friend and colleague throughout the insightful documentary (Roman Kemp /Instagram)

"He was struggling with something we couldn’t see," Roman said when discussing his late friend in the BBC documentary.

"More than three quarters of men feel unable to confide in those closest to them about their problems. It’s no coincidence that on the same day we lost Joe, the police force found seven other men his age in the same situation."

*If you are struggling with mental health, you can speak to a trained advisor from Mind mental health charity on 0300 123 3393 or email info@mind.org.uk

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