‘I struggled hugely’: Roman Kemp praises ITV with helping him find a therapist

Roman Kemp has praised ITV for finding him a therapist who ‘helped save his life’ after his stint on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!.

The radio DJ, 29, – who has previously described his struggles with depression and anxiety – shared just before and after the show in 2019.

He explained that his counselor was “amazing” and helped him solve many of his problems after he was more in the limelight.

He told The sun of his therapy: ‘It is not this image that people have of lying down on a long black leather chair.

“Just before I went to I’m A Celeb, there was one that was awesome.

“She was one of the reasons that saved my life and it was ITV and I’m a celebrity who gave her to me. I struggled a lot when I got out of there.”

Novel – who describes his mental health in his new book Are You Really OK? – added that writing his memoirs was like therapy for him and he wept as he told parts of his life.

Tough: The radio DJ, 29, – who has previously described his struggles with depression and anxiety – shared just before and after the show in 2019 how he ‘struggled tremendously’

He added that he has been taking antidepressants since he was 15 and has since tried many different types of therapy to cope.

It comes after last week Roman revealed that he hopes others can be “the hero” to their friends, believing he wasn’t someone to his late friend Joe Lyons.

Joe, a producer at Global Radio for nine years, died by suicide in August 2020, leaving Roman heartbroken for not knowing anything was up.

Radio host Roman made the candid confession on Tuesday’s episode of This Morning, saying: ‘If I had been’ [a hero] he would be here’.

Difficult: He explained that his counselor was “great” and helped him solve many of his problems after being more in the limelight

He told hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary: ‘I want people to be a hero to their friend, as I know I wasn’t to mine’.

Continuing to say, “It’s okay to look at yourself and think about what else I could have done.”

In March last year, Roman fronted a BBC documentary called Our Silent Emergency about male suicide and mental health.

Roman, the son of Martin and Shirley Kemp, admitted that he “hated” Joe when he made the documentary as he struggled to cope with his grief, but learned to love him again.

Heartbreak: It comes after Roman revealed last week that he hopes others can be ‘the hero’ to their friends, believing he wasn’t someone to his late friend Joe Lyons (pictured together in 2019)

Roman went on to discuss his own battles with mental health, revealing that his mother is the one who suggested he see a doctor at age 15.

Struggling with his moods, he was then prescribed antidepressants and has been taking them ever since, saying they ‘work’ for him.

Roman previously revealed that in 2019 his anxiety became overwhelming as he struggled to deal with the pressures of his life.

He went on to say that he believes many men commit suicide because they don’t feel “that they are where they should be in their lives.”

Roman said social media pressures may play a role in such pressures and how important it was to talk to friends and family.

It comes after he revealed that Ed Sheeran has helped him through his 15-year battle with depression.

Roman previously shared how he heard “a lot of voices” and couldn’t stop crying when he considered committing suicide in 2019.

In a new interview with the mirrorHe said, “Ed told me there’s dirty water at the top and the more you let it flow, it turns into clear water. Every time I tell you how I feel, the water gets clearer.’

Family: The television personality who wrote a candid memoir titled Are You Really Ok? went on to discuss his own mental health struggles, revealing that his mother was the one who suggested seeing a doctor at age 15 (pictured with parents Martin and Shirley)

After meeting on the music scene, the duo became friends and then shared a hug in a commercial for Capital Radio, featuring Roman dressed as a bear.

Roman also has a tattoo on his thigh.

Explaining why he chose his bird design tattoo, he wrote on Instagram: “Joe had this tattoo and I always said it was hideous and looked like a dove. So I have it in the same place…’

If this story has touched you, call the Samaritans at 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org.

Making a difference: Last March, Roman fronted a BBC documentary called Our Silent Emergency about male suicide and mental health