Are You Really Ok?

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I promise it’s not all heavy going or doom and gloom… there will be a few moments that make you laugh along the way,” he added. This country doesn’t have it right in terms of how we approach mental health for young people. Less than 50% Then, in 2019, Roman won over yet more fans coming third in I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, with his uncanny impressions of everyone from Ant and Dec to his mate Harry Styles. Here, for the first time, Roman's ready to reveal the things that weren't captured on camera, and how his time in the jungle changed his whole outlook on life.

It had e substance than I was expecting. I thought it was “just” going to be a book about mental health with anecdotes and helpful advice. And that would have been perfectly fine. But it’s so much more. He’s taken us through his life, his childhood, adolescence and adulthood, his family life, his career, his ups and downs, and the things that have built up to crate this picture of mental health. It’s not a self-help book as such. He doesn’t pretend he’s a know-it-all expert or guru, he’s just telling us his experience. My Darkest Hour and Brighter Days to Come” wasn’t an easy chapter to read. My heart broke, but it was clear to see how we can go from being “ok” to not and this really resonated with me. Describing it as the most “f***ked up industry in the world” he says his confidence was shattered as he was called out for having a “Mediterranean nose” and “wide hips for a man”, and became convinced he had bad teeth as he was never allowed to smile for photos. Who knows how life works, but if someone asks me what's the best thing to ever happen to me, it's undoubtedly the parents I was given.

LoveReading Says

Capital DJ Roman Kemp has achieved much success but he hasn't had an easy ride. He's battled depression since the age of 15, once contemplated suicide, and has bravely fought to smash the stigma still surrounding medication and mental health.

Mates Tom, Olly and Lysander meet Roman to discuss the death of their friend Ashley, three years ago. “It’s still hard every day,” Lysander says. “I’m not going to sugar coat it. It can still be difficult but we take every day as it comes.” Not hosting famous types. They didn't throw parties, they're just not ­extravagant people like that. One of the ways Kemp kept his head above water was making a BBC documentary investigating the male mental health crisis. In a climate where suicide is the biggest cause of death for men under 35 and stigma around the topic remains high, Our Silent Emergencyhelped many men open up. Kemp is pleased to have helped, but at the time the process was more about trying to “fix” himself as he dealt with “mad grief”.Watching Roman's documentary about his best friend committing suicide was really eye opening. The grief he went through, and even his own mental health was played out brilliantly and now the work he does to support Mental Health Charities, everything was there for us to see and I really found his program heart warming. Ashley’s death, however, has prompted the three friends to share more about their own feelings. “We would talk before, but it wasn’t as in depth,” Lysander explains. “Now we have the two ok rule. ‘How are you doing, but how are you doing really - mentally? Are things a bit hard, are you down’?” Whilst I’ve seen Roman in programmes such as DNA Journey and the documentary he did on mental health and suicide, I don’t listen to Capital Radio and so that side of his story was interesting to me. 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. Joe’s mother, Celia, wanted to be part of the film and I was so grateful that she did. There’s been a common feeling among people that suicide should never be referred to as a “selfish act”. But Celia voiced the harsh but true reality: “You’re not ending that pain, you’re passing it on forever to those who love you. So please stay, don’t go.” I still have bad days,” says Roman. “When I was a kid they would call it a chemical depression. People’s hormones are constantly up and down and can lead to things like depression. Every two months my hormones will feel depressive. I’ll notice it and Mum and Dad will notice it.”

And once I had actually to walk off the sofa during Gogglebox when Dad insisted that I would have found my Mum "tasty" when she was younger. (Ewwww. That made me feel quite ill thinking about that.) He praises the work of mental health advocates Princes William and Harry, revealing the first time he met the future king was at a mental health charity. A football match that was on in the room had just finished. Instead of following royal protocol, the first thing lifelong Arsenal supporter Roman said to Aston Villa fan William was, “F**king hell mate, that was mad!” They've been there for the Capital FM DJ and broadcaster throughout his highs and lows – and Roman says they are his best friends and closest confidants. When Roman Kemp was a boy, Christmas meant the latest round in an epic gift-off between his mum and dad (Shirlie of Pepsi and Shirlie and Spandau Ballet bassist Martin Kemp), and his mum’s best friend George Michael. The edge frequently went to the legendarily generous singer. Mum and Dad's parenting style was definitely what you'd call "bohemian". They always made a point of treating my sister Harley and I as their mates, rather than their children to boss around.In 2019, Roman won over yet more fans coming third in I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, with his uncanny impressions of everyone from Ant and Dec to his mate Harry Styles. Roman is so open and honest in this, even about stuff you wouldn’t necessarily talk to anyone about, and now he’s told thousands of people. It’s very refreshing to read. The lifelong Arsenal supporter grafted his way to Capital?s highly coveted Breakfast slot - and pulled in record-beating listeners with his cheeky sense of humour. Who else could convince Ed Sheeran to tattoo Roman?s leg on air, drive around London playing cab-roulette with James Corden, get Craig David to freestyle rap, or rope Lewis Capaldi into a life-drawing class? Consumed with feelings of worthlessness and self-hatred, he was planning his next steps when his mum’s face popped up on his phone and made the call that saved him. I would recommend this book to anyone, whether you yourself are dealing with a mental health crisis, or a friend or loved one is, or if you just want some advice in case the situation arises. It’s not preachy, he doesn’t pretend to know everything, but you can tell he wants to use his friend’s death to make sure no-one has to go through the same thing.