Roman Kemp has developed PTSD.
Roman Kemp has struggled with mental health issues
The 30-year-old presenter revealed in 2021 he had been close to attempting suicide amid a 13-year battle with depression and he's admitted these days, his mental health "fluctuates" and he is particularly uncomfortable in big groups.
He told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: “I fluctuate a lot. Within the last year, I’ve developed PTSD, which can be triggered from my phone going off, or seeing certain names. I don’t like being around people, or big crowds.
“You’ll never see a picture of me out and about, drink in hand. That’s not really me."
Roman - who is the son of musicians Martin Kemp and Shirlie Holliman - worries he doesn't "fit in" with his family and "brings the mood down" when they're all together.
He said "I struggle to enjoy life as much as other people. My sister Harley is the happiest person you will ever meet.
"I said to my mum not too long ago that I get sad, because I feel like I don’t fit in with this family. She was in tears.
"For a mum, it’s the worst thing to hear. But I worry that when I visit them, I bring the mood down.”
Roman believes "everyone" will suffer mental health issues in their lives and has teamed up with Young Minds to lobby Parliament for support, but to no avail.
He said: “The people in power don’t understand the level of crisis within this country.
“Anyone over the age of 16 is on their own. That’s why my focus is on early intervention. I genuinely believe everyone will suffer from some form of depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress. It’s about trying to prepare them for it.
“By placing mental health support teams within schools. Prevention is better than cure. That’s why I’m shocked by the focus always being on the aftermath. If you try to build a society that can deal with it, those waiting lists will be far shorter. Give people the power to sort themselves out before they reach that point.
“For a lot of people, it’s not a problem until it happens to their child. But when it came to [the lack of response from] Parliament, I was shocked. It was a tipping point for me.”
Roman "hasn't heard anything" since submitting a letter to the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, but received a response from Maria Caulfield, the Under-Secretary of State for Mental Health, who promised to increase the number of UK schools being given a mental health team from the current target of 36 per cent to 50 per cent.
The Capital DJ reflected: “Which is not enough. If you have two kids in front of you, how do you decide which one gets the treatment?”
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