Roman Kemp has revealed the emotional impact of his father Martin's diagnosis with two brain tumours in the 1990s. The former Capital Breakfast host spoke about his childhood worries as part of BBC Children in Need's Heaviest Backpack campaign.
In a film premiered on The One Show, Roman reflected on family photos taken during Martin's recovery from radiotherapy and surgery. He admitted: 'These pictures are always quite precious to me because my dad is in full recovery here for the two brain tumours he had. I always look at these pictures and think about how scary it is that they might never have existed.'
The 31-year-old described his childhood as happy until secondary school, when he began experiencing mental health struggles. He recalled: 'I physically couldn't come down and say hello... Every time I woke up, it felt like a cloud was over me. Everything in my world was negative.'
Roman, who still suffers from panic attacks and PTSD, credited his mother for helping him through suicidal thoughts. He said: 'Those thoughts of “I don’t want to see anyone anymore” turned into thoughts of “I don’t want to be here anymore”. I was so lucky I had my mum to explain those thoughts to.'
The Heaviest Backpack campaign, marking Mental Health Awareness Week 2024, aims to address the growing mental health crisis among young people. It features films with celebrities including Vick Hope, Jamie Laing, and Alex Scott, encouraging open conversations about childhood challenges.
BBC Children in Need offers free resources to support discussions between children and trusted adults. For more information, visit bbc.co.uk/cin.
